A BRILLIANT effort from Peter Balls of West Suffolk Wheelers put him at the top of the result list in the East Anglian CC’s 25 mile time trial on the Attleborough bypass. His 51:54 was 41 seconds faster than second placed Mark Arnold (TTW/Pedal Revolution).

A BRILLIANT effort from Peter Balls of West Suffolk Wheelers put him at the top of the result list in the East Anglian CC’s 25 mile time trial on the Attleborough bypass. His 51:54 was 41 seconds faster than second placed Mark Arnold (TTW/Pedal Revolution).

A bright morning inspired many riders to their best efforts - no less than thirty competitors recorded times inside the hour.

Conditions were indeed good - but not very good. There wasn’t a cloud – or a vapour-trail – in the sky but riders were faced with a steadily increasing breeze on the exposed final miles from the Harling turn around the Attleborough bypass to the finish at Besthorpe.

“The last leg was the killer” said Jim Burgess, the Lowestoft rider who came third in 53:47, riding a 98 inch fixed gear. Balls was in fact 1:17 slower than his winning 50:27 in the Lee Valley CC 25 last week.

In fourth place with a time of 54:40 was Dave Green the RAF Honington rider who is coach to several of the top men.

Women’s winner was Sue Fenwick (Cult Racing) in a lifetime best of 59:35. Fenwick edits the East Anglian Group newsletter for the Veterans TTA. She was the 1983 national champion at 100 miles but has only recently returned to racing after a long gap.

Robert Davies (CC Sudbury, 55:48) and David Bradnam (Flitch Chrono, 56:29) were notable new names in the top section of the result sheet.

The Stowmarket & District CC’s 20 mile time trial on country roads around Debenham was won by David Mclean from Cambridge. Maclean, who rides for Frezza-Pasta Montegrappa , will have found the event a big contrast to his Easter event - the Tour of the Border stage race, which he won. His 44:05 in the Stowmarket 20 was 1:14 clear of second placed Andrew Leggett (Stowmarket & District) on a day which was sunny but featured an unhelpful crosswind on most of the course.

“The wind seemed to be coming from whichever way I was facing” said Derek Lusher who is best known as British Cycling’s Regional Competition Administrator. He finshed in 1:4:17.

Former event winner Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford) was fourth this year, in 45:45 one place ahead of Gavin Moore (SDCC) who recorded 46:17 just before returning to university in Loughborough.