Competitors in the Fast Test Road Race faced 80 miles in rain and grime plus a dozen climbs of the finish hill at Willisham Tye near Needham Market, writes Fergus Muir.
Only about 30 lasted to the end – and by then winner Edmund Bradbury was out of sight of all but second-placed George Wood.
Organised by Fast Test RT and its associated Stowmarket and District CC, the race had a quality entry and action started early with a first lap break. Two riders broke away and built a lead of about a minute – but one punctured – it was that sort of gritty day – and the other dropped back.
Finally, with about 20 miles remaining, three riders made a break for it. Bradbury (JLT) – winner of the Mark Bell Memorial race last week - together with George Wood (Richardsons-Trek) and Arlen Vartazamon (HJL) quickly opened a near two minute gap and stayed away to finish in that order – Bradbury stringing them out on the final climb.
About a minute later Ashley Cox (Nopinz) seized fourth place from Soham rider Kieran Brady (KTM).
The Diss Cycling Club Two-Up team time trial on the Bressingham to Thetford road saw a head to head battle between Suffolk pair Trevor Caley and Lloyd Chapman of Plomesgate CC and Norfolk riders Luke Hirst (Ashtons Legal CC) and Dan Blackburn (VC Norwich). Caley faced a rather daunting task of staying with former pro Chapman and their ride did not get off to a good start when the latter blasted off rather too enthusiastically up the drag away from the start.
They were 100 metres apart after the first mile and a radio might have been handy for communication. However they were soon back in unison, but had to be satisfied with second spot in 1:00:29, while Hirst/Blackburn put in the only sub-hour time of the morning with 58:25.
Neatly together approaching the finish were the fastest female pair Larissa Smith and Stephanie Hoyle of the Godric CC who finished in 1:14:25.
Tricycle winner on this rather dank morning was Lez Young (Lincoln Whs, 1:15:30).
Included was an event for Classic Bikes – defined as pre 1980 specification. The home club providing the winner in Jason Corner (1:5:40) who rode a 1970’s Geoffrey Butler track iron with large flange hubs. Next came Mark Ready (Diss CC, 1:12:57) on a Derby-built Mercian frame.
A notable competitor in the Medium Gear category was Terry Hawes, Editor of “Simpson” cycling magazine, who pedalled stylishly to 1:20:19.
West Suffolk Wheeler Boyd Nicholas riding a frame he built himself on a frame-building holiday course finished in 1:09:30, the closest anyone got to winner Richard Hutt (Harp RC, 1:04:37)
Hutt can hardly have recovered from his Medium Gear “25” of 59:24 the previous afternoon on the Newmarket Bypass – a ride which was nevertheless eclipsed by winner Gray Turnock’s 53:41 – an average of 165 pedal revs per minute.
On unrestricted gears on the same course Rendlesham rider Stuart Fairweather recorded a blistering 48:57 while Dave Green from Thetford went round in 50:48.
Royal Army Physical Training Corps instructor Chanel Mason (Storey Racing) smashed the women’s course record for the Fincham-Mundford 25 course, her 58:50 knocking more than three minutes off the previous record held by Mary Bower (Chelmer CC).
Men’s winner in this King’Lynn CC event was Matthew Senter (VeloVelocity, 53:42)
Among many young local riders racing in London over the weekend there was a win for Abbey Thompson (Ipswich Velo) who overhauled early leader Isabelle Beale (Lee Valley Youth) to win the CC Hackney Under 10 Girls race.
At Stratford there was a win for Colchester rider Jodie Taylor in race for Under 14s and second places for Florence Barnett (Under 12s) and Jake Crossley (Under 16s).
In the Senior races at Hog Hill there was a win for Donna Dale of Walden Velo, and a third place for Nicola Powell (Stowmarket and District).
RESULTS:
FAST TEST ROAD RACE: Willisham Tye:
1 Edmund Bradbury (JLT Condor), 2 George Wood (Richardsons-Trek), 3 Arlen Vartazamon (HJL), 4 Ashley Cox (Nopinz), 5 Kieran Brady (KTM UK), 6 Oliver Maxwell (Richardsons-Trek), 7 James Jenkins (Richardsons-Trek), 8 Matt Clements (Richardsons-Trek), 9 James Hayden 9Rapha CC), 10 Joshua Haasz (VC Londres), 11 Oliver Bates (Team Bottrill), 12 Morris Bacon (DAP CC) 13 Josh Aiken (DAP CC),14 Josh Andrews (Pedal Power Ipswich), 15 George Smith (CEquipe), 16 Jake Hales( Spirit Tifosi, 17 Gary Freeman (Fast Test), 18 Laurence Kirby (ActiveEdge),
19 Rhys Clegg (PMR), 20 Mark Richards (DAP CC)
TRICYCLE ASSOCIATION 25, Bressingham:
1 Lez Young (Lincoln Whs) 1:15:30, 2 Chris Hutchinson (Redbridge CC) 1:19:13.
DISS CC 25, Bressingham:
Classic Bikes: 1 Jason Corner (Diss CC) 1:5:40, 2 Mark Ready (Diss CC) 1:12:57.
Medium Gear : 1 Richard Hutt (Harp RC) 1:4:37, 2 Boyd Nicholas (West Suffolk Whs) 1:9:30, 3 Rick Laws (Colchester Rovers) 1:10:04. Women: 1 Lucy Mitchell (Petersfield Tri) 1:15:17.
Two-Up Teams: 1 Dan Blackburn (VC Norwich) and Luke Hirst (Ashtons Legal CC) 58:25, 2 Lloyd Chapman and Trevor Caley (Plomesgate CC) 1:00:29
KING’S LYNN CC 25, Fincham:
1 Matthew Senter (VeloVelocity) 53:42, 2 Ben Stancombe (VeloVelocity) 53:53, 3 Steven Neill (King’s Lynn CC) 57:23, 4 David Procter (VeloVelocity) 57:38,5 Tim Phillips (St Ives CC) 57:40, 6 Robert Golding (Ely & District) 58:18,7 Ben Keeley (VeloVelocity) 58:50, 8 Darran Bennett (Ely & District) 59:18,9 Chanel Mason (Storey Racing, 1st Woman) 59:27, 10 Ian Short (Team Salesengine)1:00:30.
Women: 1 Chanel Mason, 2 Verity Smith (Stowmarket & District)1:05:49, 3 Kay Burgess (KLCC)1:09:30. Tandem: 1 Mark Farrow (Pedal Revolution) and Paul Hughes (VC Norwich) 59:45.
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