Many VCB riders on form and fill top places

Mark Saunders and Paul Hayward of Velo Club Baracchi were both in the top ten at Iceni Velo’s 10-mile open time trial on Saturday.

Mark Saunders (Photo by Dominic Austrin)

Saunders took fifth place with 22:38 and Hayward was tenth with 22:46. Daniel Bloy of Team VeloVelocity won in 20: 34 from his team-mate Stuart Fairweather 21:18 and Iceni Velo’s Matt Ratcliffe 21:56.

Jenny Anderson, a VCB member who rides first claim for Gt Yarmouth CC, was third in the ladies’ prizes with 26:06, behind Verity Smith of Stowmarket & District CC, who set a course record with 23:24 and Denise Hurren of Sole Bay Cycle Sport with 23:53.

Mark Richards of VCB took third place in the Godric CC open 50-mile time trial on the A143 between Harleston and Stockton, which was hard and slow going with the wind direction and several sections of new stone-chipping.

The top four were Matthew Senter (Team VeloVelocity) 1-48:51, Bloy 1-51:59, Richards 1-59:16 and Simon Daw (Velo Schils Interbike RT) 1-59:55.

Hayward achieved 2-09:26. Francesca Hall of Race Hub Tri Club was first lady in 2-11:30.

In the Godric CC open 10 the top three riders were all from VCB, with Richards first in 21:44, Liam Gentry second in 21:50 and Hayward third in 22:48.  John Swanbury of VCB recorded 25:50 and Jenny Anderson was top lady with 26:35.

The top three places of twelve in Gt Yarmouth CC’s club 10 were taken by VCB’s Saunders in 23:30, and Lucas He in 23:39 and Paul Dennington in 23:42, a very close battle.

The week before in GYCC’s 10 VCB riders also achieved the top three.  VCB times were Lucas He 23:31, Dennington 24:09, Luke Rowell 25:39, Mark Womack 28:00 and Josh Womack 35:59.

In the VC Norwich road race at Great Cressingham, won by Ian Lee of RAF CA, Richards punctured but got back on to finish a creditable sixteenth.  Rowell rode about 7 of the 9 laps.

Luke Rowell riding in the event (Photo by Fergus Muir)

John Thompson rode “The Windmill Rides” 210km (131.25 miles) audax from Chelmsford in 13 hours, saying it was probably the toughest he has ridden.

The VCB 30-mile championship will be in GYCC’s rearranged club time trial on July 9, with the start time intended to be brought forward to 8.30am to avoid traffic.  VCB’s Summer Road race will be on Sunday July 16 from 9am on the Ringsfield course.

There are some membership changes in the air, with Richards, Gentry and Nick Esser shortly to ride first claim for DAP CC, though Richards in particular will maintain VCB membership and his vice chairmanship of the club. Club members wish them great success.

Richards said, “It saddens me to move on from the club which has seen me though club rides to national championships but the opportunity has arisen for me to broaden my path in cycling.”