The "streamlined recumbent" (AKA "velomobile") was a glorious beast, wasn't it.
I chatted to the rider (his name is.... er, memory, why have you deserted me?) at the start and when I caught him on the early climbs. His bike is *huge* and, being fully enclosed, must have been like a portable oven going up the climbs.
I saw him briefly again at Atherstone. After that I expect he quite rightly made *very* rapid progress.