Womack, Hawkes and Esser on form

Chris Womack of Velo Club Baracchi was looking for a good time in the Stowmarket & District CC 10-mile open time trial on the A14 near Woolpit and was not totally disappointed.

Chris Womack

He rode the second-fastest time of his season.

The conditions were quite fair but many riders thought the morning did not live up to its promise.  Womack’s 24:29 may have been slower than he hoped for, but was an exceedingly respectable result.

John Swanbury and Ali Banks on the only tandem achieved 23:33, a time that was a little disappointing for a dual carriageway course, though the surface was rough in places and such wind as there was blew across the course, giving no help.

John Thompson’s time was 27:44 and he would have achieved more if the conditions had been right.

The winner of the event was Nino Piccoli of Team Pedal Revolution.co.uk in a fairly special 20:21.  He is a very quick younger senior rider capable of challenging the 2009 course record of 19:54 set by Peter Balls of West Suffolk Wheelers.

Martin Pyne of Anglia Velo was second in 22:26 and Martin Long of King’s Lynn CC third in 22:23.

Earlier in the week in the Godric CC the same tandem pair finished four seconds quicker with 23:29.  Mark Newnham’s time of 23:59 just beat 25mph and Womack was less quick with 25:01. Nicki Hawkes rode well with 26:10 and Mike King’s time was 28:34.

Stuart Pryce of Nottingham Clarion won with 21:47 from Will Bamber of Cult Racing (22:00) and Neil Turner of Great Yarmouth CC (22:28).  Twenty-five solo riders and the tandem pair took part.

In the Gt Yarmouth CC 25-mile club time trial on Sunday on the unforgiving two-lap Somerleyton course Nick Esser in second place was the fastest Baracchi rider with 1-02:31, a course best time by around two minutes.

Nicki Hawkes rode a course-best 1-12:14 and she was justifiably pleased.  Richard Allen enjoyed his storming 1-11:40 ride.

Nicki Hawkes earlier in the season

On his first ride on the course the quickest rider of the twelve who took part was Cult Racing’s Bamber with 58:37.  He was riding a 52×15 fixed gear and was wondering if he had chosen wisely.

Bamber reported, “It wasn’t too bad really.  I had to take a couple of tight corners more carefully especially where there was sand or gravel, and also sit up on the hoods going down the hill by the waterworks.  The wind was south-westerly so the legs down the A143 weren’t too quick.”