Cycling Club Breckland 16-year-old Declan Davis had a hectic weekend of racing whilst camping out at the Mildenhall Cycling Rally.
He was up early on Saturday with grandfather Don Saunders and Harvey Hall to travel to Ugley, near Saffron Walden in Essex, to complete in the Victoria CC three-up team time trial series on the sporting E1/10.2 course.
Riding early and in chilly conditions the trio posted a time of 24:14 to win the event.
Breckland’s Mark Fairhead rode in the solo event, his first time on this course, and rode about an hour later than the trio when the temperature had warmed up slightly, although a stiffening breeze slowed times.
Fairhead’s time was 26:44. Also riding was local rider Steve Gorbutt, of Diss and District, who finished in the top 10 with a time of 22:46. The solo event was won by Team Athion Sport rider Russell Hampton in 20:17.
On Sunday, having returned to the Mildenhall Cycling Rally, Declan Davis tried his hand at grasstrack racing. In the first race, an 800-metre sprint, he came fourth. Next he tried a 1,500m sprint race and finished fifth before being involved in a crash and not finishing the 3,000m.
Not far from Mildenhall, Breckland’s veteran rider Chris Nudds took part in the re-run of the National Veterans Time Trial Association 25-mile Championships at Newmarket.
In conditions described by 66-year-old Nudds as being the coldest this summer, the early morning event had an unhelpful ‘head right out’ breeze pegging times back.
Nudds rode well to finish in 10th place on veterans standard, beating his veterans standard by 15 minutes and 56 seconds. His actual time was 56:54.
The event was won by 84-year-old Eric Marsh of Ciclos Uno with a plus of 22:11 – actual time 1-03:21. Other local riders competing in the event were Anglia Velo’s Chris Roberts (+14:27, actual time 59:10) and Jim Burgess (+12:49, actual time 53:24).
In the women’s event, VC Norwich rider Sally Withey finished fifth with +7:40, actual time 1-04:43.
On Monday the VC Norwich 10-mile time trial was held on the B10/3B course running from Attleborough to Snetterton and back.
The event saw Declan Davis back in action he rode well to finish with a time of 21:58. The event was won by Team Velovelocity rider Paul Jay in 21:19. Also competing for Breckland were Harvey Hall (23:10), Mick Wood (23:50), Don Saunders (24:18), Nick Standley (24:18) and Roger Graham (25:03).
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