Another club TT win for Titch

Mark “Titch” Richards of Velo Club Baracchi won last week’s Godric CC club 10 at Earsham with 21:15 and the other VCB times were Gentry 21:51, Paul Dennington 22:40, George Kerridge 23:04, John Swanbury 24:43 and Nikki Hawkes 25:52.

Paul Dennington is the tall one with Titch

Kerridge, Hawkes, Dennington (aka the three wise ones)

Richards also won the Gt Yarmouth CC club 10 last Thursday with 22:10, one second under second-placed Zac Coleman’s time (Team Pedal Revolution).  Other VCB times were Paul Dennington, fifth in 24:15 and Dave Loynes 25:13.

Velo Club Baracchi riders Liam Gentry, Richards & Nick Esser travelled to Colchester for the VC Revolution promotion, The Ken Wright Memorial Road Race.

The 72-mile race covering six laps of the Abberton Reservoir proved to be one of the fastest races this year at just under 26mph.

Gentry was in close attendance near the front as soon as the flag dropped, and Richards soon followed after the initial two laps calmed down.

VCB were in the majority of all attempts to create a break & at thirty miles to go Gentry bridged across to a break of twelve riders, including eventual winner, Morris Bacon of Bungay from StradaSport.

As soon as Gentry left the main peloton Richards ensured that nothing would get across to the break by policing the front.

Gentry achieved 7th place in a frantic last lap with plenty of attacks from the breaks’ riders.

Richards remained on the front of the bunch to help protect against anyone else bridging across, while Esser kept ready for the sprint.

Richards led Esser out with 400 metres to go but a very bad gear change saw Esser lose momentum and come in around 20th place, with Richards just a couple of positions behind.  Essser was glad to have finished his first long distance race for two years.

Richards has earned enough points this year, including from a seventh place in the in the Lotus League circuit series this week, to move up from third cat to second.  Gentry will have improved his prospects of joining him eventually with the points from the Ken Wright Memorial race.

John Thompson of VCB promoted his “Norfolk Special” 160/200km audaxes on Sunday from Lound village hall, the longer of which included Runham, Coltishall, Stiffkey, Briston, Wymondham, Hempnall and Thurlton.

Kate Churchill of VCB completed the longer distance in the 28 who started and another eight rode the shorter distance

Riders included some who travelled good distances from places like Hertfordshire (Stevenage/Hemel Hempstead), one from London and one from Shropshire (Evesham and District Wheelers).

Quite a few VCB riders rode and enjoyed the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on Sunday, along with around 450 riders from far and wide, including many other Lowestoft cyclists.

Mike Wood and Tim Revell with fellow Wrinkly, Hugh Gatenby, before the start of Beccles Cycle for Life