After cycling rush, is arriving before everyone else (8)
I believe the answer is:
earliest
'else' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs. Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for earliest that I've seen before include "Next available" , "Nearest the beginning in time" , "Ateliers (anag.)" , "With the least delay" , "Nearest the start of a time period" .)