Mark Saunders wins VCB 50-mile championship

Mark Saunders of Velo Club Baracchi won the club’s 50-mile championship in 1-59:31 during the VCB open time trial on the A143 on Sunday.

The open winner was Ben Stancombe of Team VeloVelocity in 1-46:09 with VCB second-claim rider Lucas He (Cambridge University CC) second in 1-51:17, a personal best by some 15 minutes. John Bradbury of CC Sudbury took third with 1-52:18.

Saunders’ time also gave him sixth place overall and the other VCB times were Paul Dennington 2-05:27, Paul Hayward 2-06:45 and Alex He 2-13:08.

Somerleyton rider Jenny Anderson of Gt Yarmouth CC took the ladies’ first prize in 2-19:18. Chris Nudds of CC Breckland took the top veterans’ prize.

The event was ably organised by Richard Allen with the help on the day of members and friends of the club.

On Saturday the top three VCB times in the VC Norwich open 10 from Morley were Nick Partridge 20:34, Dennington 22:32 and Stuart Supple 23:58, together taking second prize in the team category.

Chris Womack, who had raced in the VTTA 25-mile event at Newmarket early in the morning in 1:02:17 rode again in this VC Norwich 10 with 25:03. Mark Womack, his son, achieved 26:25.

John Swanbury and Ali Banks rode Saturday’s Cambridge CC windy and tough 15-mile tandem event, taking second place (of three) in 34:14 to this year’s top mixed team, national competition record holders Rachael Elliott (Newbury RC) and Ian Greenstreet (AeroCoach), who won in 28:23.

The VCB riders missed out on the national age record by six seconds but can claim an East Anglian one.

VCB times in a  massive turnout for the last Godric CC evening 10 last week were Partridge 20:29 (second overall), Dennington 22:23, Saunders 22:28, Supple 23:12, Billy Girling 23:45, Stuart Chase 24:13, Alex He 24:36, Chris Womack 25:20, , Mark Womack 26:37, Paul Reed 26:40 and Jodie Lee 31:29.

Lucas He (CUCC) 20:37 was fourth behind Zac Herrod of AeroLab Ward WheelZ 20:01, Partridge’s 20:29 and Mark Richards 20:36. Swanbury and Banks on the tandem recorded 23:32.  Denise Hurren (Team VeloVelocity) was the fastest lady in 23:36. Forty-nine rode.

Partridge, with a course best 21:43, took third place in the Plomesgate CC club 10.

Keith Wink rode the Tour de Broads with Nick Esser, Jim Keeble, Ray Knights and Phil Goffin of Rock Estate and with Julian Buck, covering 100 miles in 5 hours and 15 minutes.