Partridge masters the Lound course

Velo Club Baracchi rider Nick Partridge continued his winning ways with the fastest time in Gt Yarmouth CC’s club 10-mile time trial on last Thursday.

His time was 21:57, a remarkable average of 27.33mph on the Lound-based sporting course, which partridge hopes he can better with more experience of it.

Paul Reed of VCB recorded 28:10 and within the home club’s competition the fastest was Jonny Hawes with 24:47.

Rock Estate held their own contest on road bikes, won by Mark Richards in 23:01, two seconds faster than the third-fastest time of the night, Simon Scott of Anglia Velo on a time trial bike.

Last week’s Godric 10 was cancelled as the afternoon was wet.  Nobody was to know the weather would lift.  Saturday’s EDCA 10-mile championship suffered the same fate.

The midweek CC Breckland open 25 on the A11 from East Harling gave Paull Hayward and Chris Womack of VCB a chance to ride and Hayward did well with 56:59. Womack’s time was 1-03:57, which disappointed him slightly, though the last five miles were hard.

Lloyd Chapman of Plomesgate CC won in a sizzling 48:24, with Harley Matthews of DAP CC on 50:09 and Richards, also riding for DAP CC, third in 50:47.

Heavy winds caused cancellation of the VCB Saturday leisure ride. This regular series is normally ideal for keen beginners and others who want a shortish steady ride.  They depart for Tandem-Steve’s Cycles just after 9.15am and new riders are welcome.

The club run at 8.30am on Sunday from the Cotmer Road roundabout was lightly attended but those present enjoyed it, including a stop at the Earsham Street café in Bungay.

John Thompson, meanwhile, rode about 125 miles to include Butley and Orford as part of his work on audax route preparation.

Monday’s Grand Depart of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour at Beccles and parts of the route in Suffolk were visited by VCB riders, keen to soak up the atmosphere of this professional race.

Two VCB riders took part in the invited community lead-out party. A VCB family member called Ivy, aged just six, took part as well, with her mum and also an 11-year-old non-member, all put forward the Beccles Rotary Club.  They had taken part in the Beccles Cycle for Life and raised significant sums for charity.

One VCB member, Kate Churchill, was lucky enough to be able to ride Monday’s stage of the race in one of the support vehicles in the convoy.