Second place for Richards in Gt Yarmouth road race

Richards leads Toms at Somerleyton (photo: Dominic Austrin)

Mark Richards, Liam Gentry and Nick Esser of Velo Club Baracchi turned their attentions to road racing last Sunday and were placed second, sixth and thirteenth respectively in the Gt Yarmouth CC event.

It was a great ride by Richards and in a team effort the other two sacrificed themselves for his success, so very near to a win.

Esser said there were “three of us on the front and the pace was fairly steady; only just before Lound did the first kick happen.”

“At waterworks corner it was stretched out every lap so the aim of the good riders in the field was to be in the top five every time round that corner.”

“On the second lap it split over the top of the hill heading towards Ashby with ten riders more than twenty seconds ahead with Titch (Mark) and Liam in the group but indecision in the lead group and a chase by Iceni Velo neutralised that.”

“On the third time up the hill Dougal Toms of Iceni Velo attacked solo.  I saw the move and towed Titch up to the front.  He spring-boarded across the 100m gap with another rider who subsequently popped soon after, leaving the duo to ride on.”

“Gentry was the main protagonist in making sure there was no major chase.  I helped a little but not as much as Liam. Iceni were up there too with Tim Guy & John Swindells annoying VC Norwich’s Lewis Pendle and a couple of Ipswich BC riders including Phil Hetzel.”

A crash just before Lound put paid to the break being caught. One lap longer and I think it could’ve been brought back.”

“The sprint started on waterworks hill and it was flat-out from there. Where others died, I didn’t, hence the 6^th place.  Gentry sat up and could’ve had a 5th or 6th but his job was done.”

There was one faller. Richards was delighted with his second place and added, “Thank you Liam and Nick for controlling the bunch and I hope the rider that fell at Blundeston has a fast recovery.”  He also paid tribute to the GYCC organisers for a great event.

The top three were Dougal Toms of Iceni Velo, Richards himself and Spencer Laborde of Iceni Velo who was the winner of the bunch sprint behind the first two over the line.

Titch Richards, winner at Diss club 10

On the previous Tuesday in the Diss CC 10-mile club time trial on the “Brockdish Circuit” from Billingford Richards was a clear winner with 22:03 to Gentry’s second place in 22:37, reversing their fortunes of the previous week on the more straightforward out-and back version of the course.

Fourth place went to VCB’s Paul Dennington in 23:15, eased out of third by Simon Scott of Anglia Velo 23:10.  John Swanbury punctured in the last mile but managed to finish on a flat front tyre in 27:11, 16^th in a field of 26.

The weather had been unsettled, with a nearby thunderstorm that had left wet roads on part of the course, making the return through Needham and Brockdish villages somewhat technical.

John Thompson has been taking trial runs on two audax courses he has devised for forthcoming events, 160km from Lound that includes Coltishall, Aylsham, Reepham and Wymondham and 213km from Lound that also takes in Holt and Stiffkey.