Lucas He wins at GYCC; Richards takes fourth in EDCA 25-mile champs

Mark Richards of VC Baracchi took fourth place in the East District Cycling Association 25-mile championship on A47 dual carriageways near King’s Lynn.

Top three places went to Matthew Senter (Team VeloVelocity) 49:40, Harley Matthews (DAP CC) 50:23 and Daniel Bloy 50:49 Team VeloVelocity)

VCB riders Paul Hayward, with 56:31, and Nick Esser, just one second slower with 56:32 both had great rides.

Verity Smith of Stowmarket & District Cc won the ladies’ championship with 56:18. Other local riders’ times included the Sole Bay CS trio of Lee Garrod 56:41, James Doy 57:13 and Denise Hurren 59:08.

The mid-week CC Breckland open 10 on a warm evening between Attleborough and Snetterton on the A11 gave the top local riders the chance to get some good times, though in places the light breeze made it deceptively difficult.

Richards achieved 20:31 for third place behind Team VeloVelocity riders Jason Bouttell 19:27 and Senter 19:40 (both faster than 30mph).

Esser had a great ride with Esser 21:37 and other VCB times were Chris Womack 23:52 and John Swanbury 24:43.

The previous night’s Godric CC club 10 at Earsham was won by Paul Jay of Team VeloVelocity in 21:41, with Hayward second in 22:04, Simon Boyle of Orwell Velo third in 22:17, Paul Dennington of VCB fourth in 22:29 and VCB’s Lucas He fifth in 22:36.

Other VCB times were Swanbury 25:38, Alex He 25:41 and Paul Reed 25:58.

VCB took the first three places in the 10-mile Gt Yarmouth CC club time trial.  Lucas He headed the order to win the event with 23:31, supported by Dennington in 24:09 and Luke Rowell with 25:39.

Lucas He on his way to a win in the GYCC event (photo Dominic Austrin)

Richards and Esser with Liam Gentry and Rowell came in with the bunch in a blanket finish at the end of the E/1/2/3 race in Lotus League round 7 at Hethel.  Richards was placed 15^th, Esser 30^th Luke Rowell 40^th and Gentry 48th, all essentially on the same time but separated into order by the electronic timing.  Josh Andrews of Morvello Basso RT won.

In the fourth cat race Matt Cole of VCB also finished in the bunch, though the first three riders had a very short lead.  He took twelfth place.  The winner was Rob Kitchen of East Coast Riders.

Rowell and Lucas He took part in the 55-mile Haverhill Road Race in which there were 59 starters and just 26 finishers in the very hard event.  They both had a good work-out but were among the retirees.  Toby Parnell led a Cambridge CC trio over the line for the top three places.