For many riders in West Suffolk Wheelers’ Suffolk Punch reliability rides the fast winding descent into Hartest followed by the lung and leg-busting climb out of the village was a star memory of the day.
Over 120 cyclists took part, choosing between distances of 36, 60 and 75 miles with the latter distance which took in villages like Ashley, Ousden and Hawkedon in the hilliest part of Suffolk proving the most popular.
Riders were sent on their way by organiser Justin Wallace for whom this was his 40th year putting on events of this kind.
Among those who averaged 18 mph over this undulating terrain were Wheelers members Zoila Fernandez and Dale Sturman, who separately broke an arm and a leg respectively, late last season.
Achieving a 15 mph average over the 36 mile route was Harley Gregory who is not quite ten-years-old. He rode with his grandfather Barry Denny and fellow Wheelers’ members Tony Panting and Stephen Hill who are all over 70.
- Also enjoying the sunny weather on Sunday morning were Tricycle Association members who enjoyed an appetizer ride to Lavenham before their annual prize presentation lunch.
- The future of the popular summer evening Suffolk Cycle Race Series at Trinity Park, Ipswich is in doubt. Several long serving members of the organising team have retired and if fresh helpers do not come forward, the 2017 series cannot go ahead. Offers or enquiries to Adam Keer at adamandjustine@sky.com.
- Bury St Edmunds-based VeloVelocity team members travelled to Oxfordshire to receive their award as team winners of the Best British All-Rounder (BBAR) competition at Cycling Time Trials’ Champions Night. Daniel Bloy, Dave Green and Ben Keeley also set a new national Team Competition Record at 12 Hours of 851.79 miles in the CC Breckland event in September.
Individually, Bloy was fifth in the BBAR with a nominal average speed over 50 and 100 miles and 12 hours of 27.109mph, Green was sixth in 26.983, Keeley 20th in 25.503 and fourth-counter Andrew Leggett 24th at 25.411. Top local rider in the Women’s BBAR - over 25,50 and 100 miles - was Anna Dearing of Colchester Rovers who took seventh place at 25.179mph.
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