LIAM Gentry powered over the line to win the fourth round of the Ipswich Criteriums after bridging a gap to breakaway man Mike Auger and fighting off a challenge from Debenham junior Hugo Robinson, writes Fergus Muir.

VC Norwich rider Auger had made his bid with two laps to go and the lead group left him on his own to wear himself out, before pouncing at the last.

Earlier, young Ross King (Velo Schils) made a 25 minute lone break before being caught at about the same time as the scratch group made up the 90 seconds they were set to make up on the main field from the start.

In the Go-Race novices event Ben Green (Ipswich BC) took a fourth successive win, showing he can do it from a sprint as well as well as his previous lone breaks. His nearest challengers in an spread-across-the –road dash were Paul Thomas (VC Revolution, 2nd) and unattached Henry Robertshaw.

A drying track at Bredfield, near Woodbridge, meant faster and faster racing as the Plomesgate Cycling Club’s grass track meeting progressed. Ipswich BC’s Adam Keer won the 800m handicap, beating Leigh Haigh (VC Braintree). Haigh’s moment came in the 8km which he won, while Simon Daw (CC Sudbury) took the unknown distance and Sarra Boyd (Clee Cycles) the Ladies 8km. Youth Omnium winners were: U12 Cameron Douglas (Colchester Rovers); U14 James Jackson (CRCC) and U16 Samantha Parker (Maldon). Next day at Brentwood Alan Trolove (West Suffolk Whs) won the 800 handicap and was second in the Devil, while Ipswich BC chairman Tim Snook was second Short Distance Series counter.

Regular visitor Barry Charlton of the Lyme RC set a new course record of 1:44:54 for the Attleborough bypass 50 course on a warm, overcast morning with light wind but little traffic and relatively high air pressure. Second placed Paul Ashby (Wisbech Whs, 1:48:54) took the East District Championship. Top local riders included Mark Arnold (Pedal Revolution, 1:50:27), Dave Green (RAF, 1:51:04) and Rob Davies (CCSudbury, 1:56:17).

In spite of sunburn acquired holidaying on the Broads, Barry Charlton also won the CC Breckland 10 on the Wymondham Bypass in 20:14, ahead of Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) 20:29 on an evening when conditions were average rather than super-fast as some had expected. The major talking point was the field-selection for this event which was listed as being for the fastest 60 entrants.

Steven Griffiths of Essex club PCH UK won the Iceni Velo road race at Wicklewood a wheel’s width ahead of Lee Rowe (Finchley RT). “Active” and “negative” were both words used to describe the action – there were many attacks, but all were soon chased down and the result was decided by a big sprint.