Anthony Stapleton and Richard Evans of the Chelmer Cycling Club had a clear win in the King’s Lynn 25 mile time trial for pairs of riders (a “2-up”).

Anthony Stapleton and Richard Evans of the Chelmer Cycling Club had a clear win in the King’s Lynn 25 mile time trial for pairs of riders (a “2-up”).

Stapleton is vastly experienced but 38 year-old Evans is new to cycle sport and has only competed in a handful of events. However he is a neighbour of Stapleton’s in Little Dunmow and the pair now train together. Their 55:42 was 1:24 clear of second placed Gary Rushmore and Martin Long of the promoting club. On a glorious spring afternoon competitors found a gentle cross-wind on most stretches of the well-surfaced course which winds its way from Fincham to Mundford and back. Suffolk pair Martin Graves and Paul Jay (Newmarket C&TC) were 6th in 1:2:46.

Mark Arnold and Nino Piccoli, who won the King’s Lynn 2-up last year, this time travelled to Warwickshire to check out the course to be used in next month’s national championship 10. The TT-W/Pedal Revolution pair from Red Lodge rode a Stratford CC 10. Arnold covered the course on the A46 along the Arrow valley in 20:53 for 7th place while Piccoli finished 10th in 21:12.

The A11/A14 Newmarket bypass 25 mile course lived up to its fast reputation when Peter Balls of West Suffolk Wheelers won the Lea Valley CC 25 in 50:27.

RESULT: King’s Lynn CC 2-up 25 miles, Fincham:

1 Anthony Stapleton & Richard Evans (Chelmer CC) 55:42, 2 G Rushmore & M Long (King’s Lynn CC) 57:06, 3 J Gollaglee & J Nixon (KLCC) 1:00:18, 4 S Hardy & G Smith (KLCC) 1:1:26, 5 M Church & P Asplin (Fenland Clarion) 1:2:24, 6 M Graves & P Jay (Newmarket C&TC) 1:2:46, 7 D Davis & D Saunders (CC Breckland) 1:5:00.