Five members of Team Cycle Club Sudbury completed the 400km Asparagus and Strawberries Audax ride. The team was made up of Brian Mann, Viv Marsh, Andrew and George Hoppit and David Fenn.

Five members of Team Cycle Club Sudbury completed the 400km Asparagus and Strawberries Audax ride. The team was made up of Brian Mann, Viv Marsh, Andrew and George Hoppit and David Fenn. The group started at 10am on Saturday and rode through to night to finish at 07.30am the following day. The route was from Manningtree through Ixworth, Halesworth, Reedham Ferry and Acle to Wells-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast. The group returned via Red Lodge, Saffron Walden, Finchingfield, Pebmarsh and Nayland, before arriving back at Manningtree.

Three hours of heavy rain dampened progress, but not spirits, and a fish and chip supper at Wells was very welcome respite in order to rest, refuel and dry out. It was the first time any of the riders had cycled more than 300km. It was particularly tough for 16-year-old George Hoppit, who had to call on all his reserves of energy and willpower towards the end, to complete this mammoth 21hr 30min ride.

Picture caption: (from left) Viv Marsh, George Hoppit, Andrew Hoppit, Dave Fenn and Brian Mann.

Sudbury's cyclists have been on good form in open time trials and this purple patch continued at the weekend. James Rush, competing in a sporting 10 event on a windy day, secured another top 10 finish. James was sixth in 24.48. Elsewhere several riders took part in the East Anglian VTTA 25-mile event on the E2/25 course near Newmarket. Stuart Kirk massively improved his PB and came close to breaking the hour barrier, with a time of 1.00:19. Fastest of the Sudbury riders was Rob Davies, with a personal best of 56.33. Also riding were Barbara Law, 1.15:23, Len Finch 1.08:56 and Barry Lee 1.06:31. One rider who was unable to benefit from the favourable conditions was Terry Law who found he had a puncture on the start line.

The club 10 on the Lavenham course, on a blustery Thursday evening, delivered some very slow times and meant the biggest gainer in the points trophy race was actually one of the marshals. Riders marshalling receive 30 points and George Hoppit, already the series leader, extended his lead without riding a bike. George has 534 points and in second place is Matt Shotbolt with 473. Winner on the night was Rob Davies in 23.58 followed home by Matt and James. Fastest junior was the always improving Nick Bull.

Tonight's race is another inter club event against Haverhill Wheelers and West Suffolk Wheelers. Sudbury will be hoping for another strong performance from their talisman Simon Wright who won the individual event at the last interclub race.

Fourteen club members and friends travelled to Dieppe for a long weekend, to take part in the Three Valleys long distance events organised by the Club des Cyclotouristes Dieppois. Approximately 400 riders (about 250 of them from Britain) took part in one of four rides of varying length.

Thirteen Sudbury riders successfully completed a hilly 150km ride, which took them along the coast, then inland through the rolling countryside behind Dieppe, before returning to the coast for an up-and-down return to the town over two headlands. One rider completed a shorter 90km ride through similar terrain.

The team was delighted to be presented with a cup by the CDC Dieppois in recognition of their achievements over the weekend.