Ex-smoker and drinker John Baldwin turned over a new leaf when he started going to work on a bike, writes David Horne.

Now he's a king of the road, beating the field in a top Cycling race.

John, 45, took the honours in the Oxonian Cycling Club's 25-mile open time trial - only the second time in the event's 60-year history that a club member has won it.

And his enthusiasm has rubbed off on workmates, most of whom now pedal their way to and from home as well. He said: "I saw the light after a very bad life of drinking and smoking and haven't looked back.

"Now I encourage people to give it a go."

Dad-of-two John, who manages the bicycle department at Giles Sports, Carterton, cycles ten miles each way daily from his home in Milton-under-Wychwood.

John said: "Virtually everyone who works here now comes to work by bike, whether it's from distance or just down the road."

They include bike department mechanic Nick Druce, from Didcot, and John Yeatman, from Burford.

Story date: Friday 30 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.