MOUNTAIN bike racing came to Codham Park near Braintree when the private venue hosted the fourth round of the Mud, Sweat & Gears series.

MOUNTAIN bike racing came to Codham Park near Braintree when the private venue hosted the fourth round of the Mud, Sweat & Gears series.

Riders tackling the wooded and hilly course found their skills tested by two drop-offs and a rock garden feature, not to mention the more usual mud.

Tom Castle (Ipswich Bicycle Club) signalled his return to fitness after breaking his wrist in the spring by winning the “Warrior” race, the shorter of the two events for seniors.

Castle worked his way up through the field to join the leaders at the end of the first of three laps and seized the lead when a rival took a corner wide. His win also gave him the Eastern Region Championship title for the class.

Andrew Cockburn (Cambridge CC) tied up the two-hour Elite race and the regional championship, being the only rider to complete seven laps. Among the seniors Glenn Stanford (Extreme Sports Therapy/ City College Norwich) and Diss rider Stephen James were credited as equal first, a result that looks to secure the senior series for Stanford. Sean Dunlea (PCA Ciclos Uno) was the winner of the race for 12-16s while Jodie Cole (TROG) and Sue Wood (Maldon & District) won their respective women’s races.

*Ipswich Bicycle Club’s Phil Hetzel showed the way round the tight circuit at Norwich Airport Park & Ride, riding away from the field with an on-the-limit effort that left grooves underneath one of his pedals.

“I just rode hard and they stayed with me as long as they could” said Hetzel, who had taken second place in the Barry Elcome midweek race in Surrey a few days earlier.

Second at the airport was Beccles man Chris Guy of the EST/CCN/Streetlife club who were this week’s organisers and the next upper category riders were Gavin Moore (Stowmarket & District) and cyclo-cross expert Ian Newby (Diss & District). Third overall and first fourth category rider was Simon Millard (EST/Streetlife).

There are more races at the airport on August 22 and September 5 adn 12.

Before the racing there are morning coaching sessions for young riders (age 8-16) from 9.30-11.30am. All you need is a bike, a helmet and a signed registration form – or a parent with a pen. Russell Parkins (01603 490837) has the details, or see www.lotuscycleracing.org

*Stowmarket & District CC’s Mid-Suffolk Road Race based at Somersham was dominated by a seven-man break which held about one minutes lead right to the finish. Each lap the groups were scattered by the tough climb to Willisham Tye, but re-grouped on the fast tailwind leg through Ringshall. Patrick Hawkins (Dulwich Paragon) won the final sprint with James Wylie (Velo Schils Interbike) from Aldham near Colchester taking fourth place. The sprint for eighth went to Jonathan Munns, with Ben Wright (VC Revolution) and Mark Westrup (VC Baracchi) hot on his heels.

Result

EST/CCN/Streetlife Criteriums, Norwich: Elite/1/2/3:1 Phil Hetzel (Ipswich BC), 2 C Guy (EST/CCN) 3 G Moore (Stowmarket & District), 4 I Newby (Diss & District), 5 M Westrup (VC Baracchi), 6 D Zagni (IBC).

4th Cats: 1 Simon Millard (EST/CCN), 2 D Bloy (VC Norwich) 3 T Guy (EST/CCN), 4 S Goodwin (VC Norwich) 5 M Sutton 6 A Knowles (VC Norwich).

Youths: 1 Kieran Brady (Ely & District), 2 C Churchill (API) 3 M Abel

Go-Ride: 1 Russell Parkins 2 S Casaccio (EST) 3 M Gorman (EST)

Time trial news:

Mark Arnold from Red Lodge near Newmarket secured a Cycling Time Trials championship medal when Pedal Revolution.co.uk took the team prize at the National Championship in west Lancashire. In good conditions Arnold rode the first five hours on a 104 inch fixed gear, later having spell on his road bike before finishing on a 97 inch fixed.

He eventually covered 274.3 miles, just seven tenths of a mile short of the bronze medal winner Derek Parkinson. Arnold’s team mate Andy Bason lead the event for much of the day, holding 25 mph for over eight hours but after an unsettling time on the finishing circuit he ended up with 290.6 miles, just 1.9 miles less than winner Julian Jenkinson. Third counter in the Pedal Revolution team was Nik Bowdler who was 6th with 271.2 miles.

*Angus Jardine (Ipswich BC) put in the fastest ride in a windy Veterans’ TTA 10 south of Newmarket. His time was 20.59. Fastest VTTA member was Dave Green (RAFCA) 21.21 and the rider beating his age standard by the largest margin Peter Baumber (Cambridge CC) 25.52. Baumber’s clubmate Basil Moss created a stir when he won the King’s Lynn CC 25 in 56:42 riding the most basic of bikes – a sports bike frame, fixed wheel and homemade covers over the rear spokes.

The general view of conditions for the Anglia Velo 10 at Morley was “windy and difficult”, though winner Jim Burgess hardly seemed to notice. He is time was 20:27, 46 seconds better than new Red Lodge resident Duncan Murphy Most riders were up to two minutes down on their bests.

Result

Anglia Velo 10, Morley: 1 Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) 20:27, 2 D Murphy (Diss & District) 21:13, 3 G Frost (API) 4 D Green (RAFCA) 5 R Young (In Gear) 6 O Bannister (Stowmarket & District) 21:36, 6 A Strickland (Cambridge CC) 21:43, 7 W Bamber (Cult Racing) 21:49, 8 P Jarvis (Colchester Rovers) 10 D Fuller (Flitch Crono) 21:53.

Women: Laura Gambling (CC Breckland) 23:46.