VCB open 10 attracts 10 VCB riders

Velo Club Baracchi’s open 10-mile time trial on Monday featured a tie for the Jane Travers Memorial Trophy between local rider Denise Hurren of Team VeloVelocity and Sue Rust of Kettering CC in 24:31.

Twelve VCB members took the start in the field of over 80 riders.  Despite the surprisingly hard day, first-time veteran competitor John Neeve achieved 30:04, while 15-year-old Ryan Coles improved to 27:20 and Stuart Supple on his third ride lopped off time to record 23:31.

Other VCB times were Nick Partridge 22:11, Paul Hayward 22:50, Stuart Chase 24:48, Stephen Dixon-Grant 24:54, Alex He 25:01, Paul Wright 25:01, Paul Reed 25:32, John Swanbury 26:55 and Francesca Dixon-Grant 29:53.

The top three times were Ben Stancombe (Team VeloVelocity) 20:20, his team-mate Stuart Fairweather 20:40 and Mark Richards (DAP CC) 21:30, while Chris Nudds beat his age standard by 4:48 to take the top veteran prize.

Tuesday evening last week was similarly cool but otherwise conditions were better.

VCB times were Hayward 23:36, Alex He 24:41, Supple 24:43 and Swanbury 26:32.  The DAP CC trio of Richards, Liam Gentry and Andy Taylor were fastest with 21:17, 21:58 and 22:05, with Simon Scott of Anglia Velo fourth in 22:07.

Richard Allen, who organised VCB’s open 10, had ridden the Plomesgate CC 25 in “character-forming conditions” to feature as “lanterne rouge” in 1-29:06. Lloyd Chapman (Plomesgate CC) won in 55:32.

Ian Reid of VCB rode the “Green and Yellow Fields” 300km Audax over the weekend. Unusually the ride started at midnight on the Friday, finishing during the day on Saturday.

Starting at Manningtree in Essex, the route took quiet roads to Barton Mills (75km) for the first control and then on towards Burnham Deepdale (150km) on the North Norfolk coast.

Dawn over the Brecklands brought a freshening northerly wind and persistent rain and hail showers which made for a tough section to the turn. However, the strong wind assisted the return leg through Wymondham (215km) and Needham Market (275km) back to Manningtree (300km).

He completed the ride in just over 14 hours at an average speed of 24kph (15mph) to notch up his second required qualifying ride for this year’s Paris-Brest-Paris ride in August.

Anyone intending to enter the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on Sunday to join the 170-odd already entered should arrive at The Sir John Leman High School as early as possible before the 10am start.  See becclescycleforlife.org for details and prices.