Wins and top three times in racing and time trials

Lucas He after his ride

Velo Club Baracchi junior rider Lucas He and top senior rider Mark Richards excelled in another busy week of cycling action, mixing time trials with road racing.

In the Godric Cc Tuesday evening time trial Lucas was only one second slower than the winner Iain Robertson of Tri-Anglia, to set a new personal best and club junior record, 22:26. Other VCB times were John Swanbury 25:51, Paul Reed 27:25 and Alex He 27:35.

Lucas went on to win the Gt Yarmouth CC club time trial from Lound in 23:12, nearly a minute clear of the nearest opposition, Jonny Hawes of the home club (24:11). Sixteen rode.

On the Tuesday Richards finished second in the Lotus League racing at Hethel, perhaps having worked too hard at the front in the 27mph race to have fresh legs in the finale.  There was never a break without a VCB rider in it. The team comprised Richards, Ben Nicholson in his first race for the club, Liam Gentry and Nick Esser.

A day later Richards took second place in the CC Breckland midweek “slowest 60 riders” 10-mile time trial with 20:50 behind Harley Matthews of DAP CC.  Esser rode in 22:37 and Chris Womack 24:13.

Richards then took third place on Saturday afternoon in the VC Norwich open 25-mile time trial on the A11 from an East Harling base in 50:50 behind Matthews (49:40) and Matthew Senter of Team VeloVelocity, second in 49:42. Esser set a personal best 55:37, from Paul Hayward rode an impressive 56:07, Womack rode in 59:20 for third place on vet standard (+14:46) and Swanbury recorded 1-00:46.

Jenny Anderson who rides for Gt Yarmouth CC but is also a VCB member was delighted with a lifetime personal best time of 1-02:16 in this event.

On Sunday morning Richards went on to take second place by less than half a wheel in the 84-mile Ken Wright Memorial Road Race at Shrub End near Colchester for categories 2, 3 and 4, behind Thomas Power of Strada Sport.

He was supported by other good VCB team performances from Liam Gentry who won the bunch sprint to take seventh place and bunch finishers Charles Jones, twenty-second and Lucas He who was twenty-fifth of the thirty-nine who stayed the pace and distance.

It does seem remarkable that Richards was able to follow up his 25-mile podium place with an even better one in a road race of this distance the following day and so nearly win it.

Other VCB riders supported the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on Sunday, organised by Beccles Rotary Club.  They included Mike Rainton, Mike Wood, Keith Wink, Ben Nicholson and John Swanbury, with some help with the marshalling from John Thompson.  Many other Lowestoft cyclists rode.

The Rotary club reports on a successful day, with some early rain that cleared to enable the 400-plus riders to enjoy some good sunny weather and lovely spring countryside.