There was close competition for the Wolsey Road Club Pat Pepper Trophy with visitor Amy Pritchard (Giant Camden) covering the 25 miles in 1:03:00, just 13 seconds faster that 2015 winner Verity Smith (Stowmarket & District CC).

East Anglian Daily Times: Liam Manser (Pedal Power Ipswich) crashes in the Fakenham racesLiam Manser (Pedal Power Ipswich) crashes in the Fakenham races (Image: Archant)

Competitors were horribly exposed to the north-west wind on the Harleston to Bungay leg of the course and fast times could not be expected.

However no-one seems to have explained this to men’s winner Matthew Senter (VeloVelocity) who went round in 53:27 only 44 seconds off Justin Homewood’s course record. What will the King’s Lynn man do on a good day?

Second placed Andre Dyason (Cambridge CC, 57:24) was nearly three minutes slower and Chris Nudds (CC Breckland) in tenth place – was outside the hour with 1:00:24.

Racing in Fakenham Town Centre opened with a gripping battle between two young Suffolk racers. Sam Asker from Bury St Edmunds and Freddie Grover from Stowmarket had the crowd on their toes as they rode off the front of the youth race and were wheel-to-wheel to the finish where Asker whipped round the last two tight corners to take the win from Grover. No other competitor was in sight.

East Anglian Daily Times: Scott Williams (West Suffolk Whs) leads a string in FakenhamScott Williams (West Suffolk Whs) leads a string in Fakenham (Image: Archant)

The race for top category riders saw Pedal Power Ipswich take on the Catford CC - and the Catford’s strength in numbers proved decisive. The win went to Buauna Ball (Catford), with Pedal Power’s Dougal Toms second.

Almost from the start a group of 11 broke clear, including both the Pedal Power stars – Toms and Liam Manser, but also four from Catford/Banks, the road team of the south London club, founded in 1880 and now driven forward by long-time member and fashion designer Jeff Banks

Ball (18) made a solo bid and though Toms tried to lead a chase to bring him back, the three Catford riders remaining in the break naturally blocked pretty successfully.

Continuous light drizzle had lubricated the road surface and Liam Manser laid his bike down at the hairpin. With great skill the rest of the break got round him safely and the Martlesham man remounted and finished 11th, ahead of the remains of the bunch.

East Anglian Daily Times: Lyster Romero sets off to win the Junior 10 on Good FridayLyster Romero sets off to win the Junior 10 on Good Friday (Image: Archant)

The damp conditions favoured solo efforts and Sian Botteley of Writtle-based Team OnForm won the women’s race 53 seconds ahead of teammates Holly Hoy and Jess Woodworths.

Mike Padfield (North Norfolk Wheelers) won the race for Fourth Cats which was a valuable, if slightly hair-raising experience for several riders new to mass-start. Lewis Good from Bildeston-based Team LCUK took tenth place, just ahead of West Suffolk Wheelers Joe Kaye (11th) and Stephen Campbell (12th).

The Great Yarmouth CC Good Friday 10 in the Waveney Valley is these days split into two events to accommodate all who want to take part.

First event was for Juniors and Women and this was won in 20:18 by Lyster Romero the 18 year-old from Wickham Market who rides for the Wigmore CC. Second was Lucas He (VC Baracchi, 23:22) whose father Alex He took third handicap prize in the men’s event.

Top women’s prizes were shared between scratch winner Verity Smith (Stowmarket & District, 24:16), handicap winner Jane Hannah (Tri-Harder, 26:58) and best woman vet on age standard Denise Hurren (Sole Bay Sport, 25:18).

The men’s result very close, with many assuming Harley Matthews (Dap CC) had it tied up with 20:36 - until Matthew Senter (VeloVelocity) came in with 20:26. Conditions were chilly with a tail wind making the outward leg to Bungay fast and the return a grovel.

The 78 mile Simon Hook Memorial road race on the Great Saling circuit just east of Dunmow was won by Loughborough student James Rix with top local rider Frank Longstaff from Colchester.

For two East Anglian-based Catford CC members Matt Webster (sixth) and Laurence Kirby (27th) this was just the start of their day – they subsequently drove up to Fakenham where both featured in the race-winning break.