Mark Newnham’s fast ride

The CC Breckland midweek open 10-mile time trial last week turned out to be quite a fast event and Velo Club Baracchi riders did well.

It caught a dry window between spells of rain and Mark Newnhamwas the VCB’s fastest with 22:48, while Nicki Hawkes achieved 25:14 for her first claim club, Team Velo Velocity, and John Thompson could be quite pleased with his 28:10. 

The course that goes south from the B1077 junction on the Attleboro’ bypass and turns at the Snetterton Circuit entrance, where riders must negotiate no less than four roundabouts and  Mark Newnhamhad a hairy moment at one of these when he  realised where the course was going only just in time. 

It was cold but a drift of wind towards the turn died away and quite a few personal bests were achieved on the day, with even John Thompson conceding it was, “Quite a good day; quite a good course.”  

The event was won by Dave Green of RAF CC with 21:12 from Geoff Frost of Team Velo Velocity (21:33) and Chris Leggett of Stowmarket & District (21:48).  First woman was Sally Withey of VC Norwich with 24:41 and Hawkes picked up the second prize. 

Chris Womack missed out by two seconds on a personal best time in the Stowmarket & District CC 10-mile time trial on the A14 road on Monday. 

His time on the course starting near Rougham and turning at the flyover near Woolpit was 24:10, which was just off his elusive target of a 25mph ride, though even 24:08 would have done, to achieve an improvement on his 24:09 personal best. 

Thompson of VCB was respectably above “evens” or 20mph with 29:18. Carlton Colville resident Brian Davis of Anglia Velo recorded 24:48. 

Thompson said, “It has to be acknowledged that Womack did a good ride.  The general consensus was that considering the course is the A14, it’s not as fast as you might expect.” 

The weather was dry and warmer than it had been, at 12 degrees.  Jim Burgess of Anglia Velo won in 20:44 from Peter Balls of St Ives CC (21:00) and Ian Holbrook of Stone Wheelers CC (21:25).  The lady winner was Gillian Reynolds of Willesden CC (26:05). 

On the previous day the 25-mile open time trial organised by Wolsey Road Club on the Bungay By-pass took place in cold weather with a crosswind from the north but no agreement amongst the riders afterwards about which way was easiest. 

Womack was the second rider on the road in 7 degrees and achieved 1-05:41.  Thompson’s time after what he called a “grovel round” was 1-16:11 and Mark Newnham packed, as he was not going well. 

Daniel Bloy of Kings Lynn won in 54.32 and into the bargain set a new course record.  Runners-up were 2 Andre Dyason (Team Swift) 55:25 and James Trenchard (Godric CC) 56:45. 

In last week’s Godric CC 10-mile Tuesday club time trial the only VCB rider was John Swanbury. On a very cold evening with a bitter side wind he achieved 26:14.