ESSEX'S top pair of professional racing cyclists, Chelmsford-born Ian Stannard (Team Sky) and Great Baddow's Alex Dowsett (Movistar Team), have been clocking up the miles in recent weeks, and in doing so have produced some great results.
After an early season programme that has seen Stannard racing in Australia and the Middle East, the 25-year-old has been tapering his form for the one-day Classics in March and April.
He opened his account putting in a heroic ride at Italy's top one-day race of the year, the Milan-San Remo.
Usually held over a near 300-kilometre route, this year's race was cut short by nearly 50 kilometres because of horrendous snow.
That meant after racing for nearly 120 kilometres, the riders were transported in their team buses to a new starting point.
Stannard was riding the race to help Sky's leaders, Geraint Thomas and Edvald Boasson Hagen. But after Thomas had crashed at the foot of the Cipressa, and Boasson Hagen had drifted off the pace later, the Essex rider was left to race for himself.
On the final climb of the day, Stannard and the French rider Sylvain Chavanel, pulled away to open a lead they held for five kilometres before they were pulled back.
But with eventual race winner Gerald Ciolek and pre-race favourite Peter Sagan, breathing down his neck Stannard bent over his bike to take sixth place.
Stannard had hardly dried out from the snow and rain of San Remo before he was once again lining up for three Belgstannard races in five days.
Starting with nearly 200 kilometre, Stannard didn't seem to be suffering from his efforts the previous weekend and was still at the forefront of the action in the final kilometre.
However, he was again out-done by the race winning sprinter and finished ninth overall
Dowsett has just completed a hectic racing schedule that included ten races in under three weeks.
He hopes that his results have consolidated his position with his Spanish team for a debut in the Giro d'Italia in May.
Dowsett competed in the seven day Tirreno-Adriatico and it was his performances in Italy's second biggest stage race that really boosted his chances in the Giro. A podium placing in his first time trialling effort for the team was a great reward for Dowsett.
Dowsett then had to ride five other stages before the closing 9.2 kilometre individual time trial.
Dowsett commented: "It was a good time trial. Perhaps not what I'd hoped for, but my first one for the team."
Both Dowsett and Stannard will be lining up for their teams soon in the Tour of Flanders.
For many, it's a race bigger than the World Road Race championships.
