VC Baracchi trio in CC Breckland New Year time trial

Despite all the drizzle and mist that could be imagined on a New Year’s Day, three VC Baracchi riders completed CC Breckland’s New Year’s Day 10-mile time trial.

Liam Gentry took third place, with Mark Richards fifth and Nick Esser ninth.

Nick Esser makes haste through the murk

The event was transferred from the A11, as the main road was awash with spray and not fit to use, so the course used was on the B1127 from Besthorpe to Wymondham on two laps.

Just twelve riders were still up for the challenge and took part. The weather was no better, so they set off into the drizzle in a temperature of about six or seven degrees centigrade and everyone received a good wetting.

Harley Matthews of DAP CC won in 22:01 from Tommy Power of Team Pedal Revolution (22:52) with Gentry third in 22:53.

Mark Benyon of Team Pedal Revolution took fourth in 22:54 and Richards came fifth in 23:26. Just before the half-way point Richards was around twenty seconds slower than Gentry and he lost less time on the second half.

Stuart Pryce of Team Pedal Revolution took the next place in 23:52 and secured the team win for them.  Their aggregate time was 1-09:38.

Esser, with a good solid ride in ninth place, was pipped by James Rush of CC Sudbury in 25:19 and Ashley Thompson of Town & Country Printers in 25:47 and would have beaten the latter if he had not received a late start penalty, which took him to 26:00.

The only lady to brave the weather was Cindy Berry of BowlPhish Racing, based in Lympne, Kent, who took the prize on offer in 27:56.  The rest of the field were Paul White of Diss & District CC in 28:55 and Thomas Moore of Gt Yarmouth CC in 30:04.

While this was going on John Thompson took a little ride via Beccles and Geldeston to Broome, where he donned waterproofs.

On his ride through Hedenham to Woodton, Seething, Loddon, Thurlton and St Olaves he notched up just 35 miles.

The good weather between Christmas and the New Year will have enabled lots of local riders to get out and about, some training for racing this spring.

• On Sunday January 15 there will be VCB 50-mile reliability rides organised by Thompson (4 hours at 8.30am, 3.5 hours at 9am, 3 hours at 9.30am). The start is at Oulton community Centre, Gorleston Road, Oulton but the finish is outside St Mark’s church, Bridge Road, Oulton Broad to get the distance right.