BRADLEY Wiggins may have been making history as the first Brit to triumph in the Tour de France on Sunday, but it was his Team Sky colleague Alex Dowsett who took the honours on the same day at the Verulam Cycling Club’s prestigious Open 25.

A host of the country’s top time triallists joined Dowsett as they descended on the A1 for the competition made extra special due to it being Jubilee year, as the club celebrated 50 continuous years of running the event.

The day was a great success with near perfect weather conditions, a strong turn out from the best in British time trialling and a well organised and marshalled event brought about a great morning of time trialling.

The superb organisation was matched by the high standard of those taking part, as the field took to the road to contest the prize list of �2,000 with a first prize of �500 provided by sponsors, including the main sponsor Rock & Road Cycles of St Albans.

On the day itself it was Dowsett of Team Sky Pro Cycling, fresh from the Tour of Poland, who was to set the standard.

He set the best time on the day of 47 mins 31secs.

He was pushed hard by Matt Botrill (Drag2Zero), the 100mile National Champion, who came in at 49mins 33secs, and Andrew Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Wheelers) who set a personal best over 25 miles of 51mins 17secs.

The best time on the day in the ladies invitation category was Clare Ella, who rode a time of 1hr 03mins 23secs.

The winners of the open Event were separated by just 19 seconds: Lee Turner (Sigma Sport) time - 54.24, Peter Lawrence (Club MDT) 54.33, Andrew Halliday (Westerley CC) 54.51, Peter Dixon (Willesden CC) 54.33 and Howard Waller (Oxford City CC) 55.13. Jill Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Wheelers) set the fastest time for the ladies in the Open Event.

In the face of this challenge the local riders put on a good showing, with the Verulam Cycling Club putting in a very respectable showing.

This is how their riders got on: Nick Coe 59.03; Richard Marriott 1.00.50; Steve Maxted 58.14; Mike Jubb 59.22; Christine Pout 1.07.56; Paul Williams 1.00.11; Richard Colt 1.02.41; Sam Skuce 1.06.30; Bob Bone 1.03.07 and Ian Brazier 59.31.