VCB’s Hayward strong in Godric club TT

Paul Hayward of Velo Club Baracchi was the club’s fastest rider in last week’s Godric CC 10-mile club time trial.

Alex He, Paul Reed, Paul Hayward and John Swanbury

He rode well to record 22:21 for third place in conditions that were challenging, with a northerly crosswind.

If any advantage was to be gained from the wind it was mostly on the way out to the Redenhall turn and as always with a northerly at this time of the year there were some sheltered parts of the course, so all was not bad.

Mark Saunders of VCB also rode well with 22:55 and was fourth. Other VCB times were Alex He 24:36, Paul Reed 26:15 and John Swanbury 26:47.

The quickest on the night was Simon Scott of Anglia Velo with a course personal best of 21:46, with Liam Gentry of Dap CC second in 22:05.

Mark Drake of Rock Estate recorded 24:35 and James Drake 25:00 in this event. Twenty-nine rode.

It may have been a quiet week for VCB racing and time trial results but second-claim member Mark Richards took sixth place in the Diss CC road race as the field followed in his Dap CC club-mate Harley Matthews, whose lead at the finish must have been a good twenty bike lengths.

John Thompson set out on the Grand Tour de Stour 212km audax but did not press on to the end.  At 138km, when the route returned to Long Melford village hall, he thought better of setting out again to ride the remainder.

Thompson said his legs were giving him a message, but before that he went to Alton Water info control (41km), Harwich control (70km), Great Bromley info control (90km) and Lamarsh (128km) before packing at Long Melford.

This gave Thompson the enthusiasm to take a longer ride the next day and do some research and measuring for an audax he intends to organise next year as one of his “Norfolk Special” events and it included a café stop in Sea Palling.

The Wrinklies rides were popular last week, with a 50-odd-miles ride on Friday by the faster of the two groups, setting out to Hulver as usual and continuing by a clockwise loop that turned back at Shotford Bridge near Harleston.

The club run on Sunday was enjoyed by the four riders who took part and included a café stop at Dunwich.