Professional Steve Lampier (Velosure) lapped all but one of his rivals on the way to winning the top race at the Ixworth Mayday Races.

Lampier originally broke clear with Richardsons/Trek rider Dean Shannon but opened a gap on Southend man Shannon, but the latter did not drop back to the bunch and time trialled to second place.

Behind these Hugo Robinson (Neon-Velo) and Soham rider Kieran Brady chased, but in the end it was Dominic Schils (Zannata) and Steve Adams (Metaltek) who took the next two places.

The afternoon of racing on closed roads in the village centre was even bigger and better this year – a fitting conclusion to ten years of organising by Adi Grimwood.

It is no surprise that next year it is going to take a team of West Suffolk Wheelers members to replace him.

In cool but mostly sunny weather the impressively large women’s field started separately just behind the fourth cat men, but international Emma Trott soon caught and indeed rode through and dropped most of the gents, with just Sean Dunlea (Neon Velo) and Rob Ormond (Stowmarket & District) still ahead.

These three got together and finally Trott and Dunlea finished side by side, each winning their respective races, with Ipswich rider Tanya Griffiths second woman and Ormond second male.

The afternoon started with an all-action race for cat 2/3 men in which noticeable attackers were Peter Hargreaves (VC Norwich), Adam Capes (Fichley RT), Lewis Stevens (Strada Sport),Phil Hetzel (Ipswich BC) Cameron Jeffers and Ross Fawcett, with Capes making his effort on the sharp downhill corner into Commister Lane and taking the win from Stevens and Fawcett.

The Under 16s race saw a disciplined four-up break of Frank Longstaff (Team Terminator), Dougal Toms (Iceni Velo) Jali Packer (Great Yarmouth CC) and Charles Broadway (Ipswich BC) dominate proceedings and finish in that order.

In the Under 16 Girls Lyster Romero (2nd) gave Plomesgate CC their best result of the day while Sam Asker (West Suffolk Wheelers, 6th in U14s), Jack Emerson (Colchester Rovers, 6th U10 Boys)and Zoe Swainston (CRCC, U10 Girls) were top local finishers in their races. In the Under 12s Aaron Freeman (Chelmer CC) overturned the programme predictions, sprinting out of the last corner to win from Oli Stockwell (Welwyn Whs)

In the well-supported Ixworth Residents’ Race the commentators indulged in some cheerful banter while last year’s winner Barney Walker and Kim Bonnelykke made their bids for glory.

The latter – in full West Suffolk Wheelers rig – finally taking a clear win.