Mark Richards and Hannah O’Brien tasted victory in the Godric CC 10-mile time trial in Norfolk on Saturday.

Richards, the 35-year-old from Lowestoft who rides for DAP Cycling Club, clocked exactly 20 minutes for the B10/43 course near Harleston, giving him the win from scratch rider Matt O’Brien (Loose Cannon’s Conditioning) by 11 seconds.

Third went to VC Baracchi’s Nick Partridge with 20-40, while Paul Jay (Drag2zero) was another 17 seconds back in fourth and Plomesgate CC’s Peter Kerry took fifth with 21-08.

Fastest female was 44-year-old Hannah O’Brien (Loose Cannon’s Conditioning) with 22-56, giving her the win by 12 seconds from Denise Hurren (Sole Bay CS), while Charlotte Smith (Powered by Proctor) was third with 24-01.

This was Richards’ second win on his record so far this season following victory in the Great Yarmouth CC 25 last month, but he has several other good performances under his belt with third in both the CC Breckland 10 and Orwell Velo 20 as well as fourth in the East District CA 10 last weekend and the King’s Lynn CC 25 in early April.

“It felt great to get the win,” said Richards. “I won the Great Yarmouth CC 25 a couple of weeks ago for the first time in about four years, and now I’ve been fortunate enough to win again.

“The course is a fast single carriageway, a former railway line. The weather forecast predicted a cross head-wind outward leg and a cross tail-wind return. But many of the other riders confirmed my thoughts that it had swung to the opposite.

“I over-gunned the outward leg based on this info, but it is longer by a mile so I’m lucky worked out ok. I’m now looking forward to the CC Breckland 10 on Wednesday.”

O’Brien has also been in good form this season, winning all five of the events she has ridden so far.

Back in April she was fastest female at the CC Breckland 10 and went on to win at the Orwell Velo 20 on May 1.Then she clocked 22-32 on the same B10/43 course to win the VC Norwich 10 on May 16, and followed it up with another win, this time in the East District CA 10 last weekend.

In other categories top tandem pair was VC Baracchi team-mates John Swanbury and Ali Banks with 23-33.

The event ran on the well-used B10/43 course. Riders start north east of Harleston and head along the A143 to Bungay and back, finishing near Wortwell.

Richards is due to be back in action in the CC Breckland midweek 10 on Wednesday, as well as the District 50-Mile Championships run by the same club on June 27.

Meanwhile O’Brien is next hoping to be in open time trial action at the Wolsey RC 25 on July 4.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

Men

1. Mark Richards.  Dap CC.        20.00

2. Matt O’Brien. Loose Cannon’s Conditioning.          20.11

3. Nick Partridge. VC Baracchi.            20.40

4. Paul Jay. DRAG2ZERO.                     20.57

5. Peter Kerry. Plomesgate CC.            21.08

6. Julian Bosley. Stowmarket & Dist CC.      21.12

Women

1. Hannah O’Brien. Loose Cannon’s Conditioning.       22.56

2. Denise Hurren.   Sole Bay CS.           23.08

3. Charlotte Smith. Powered by Proctor 24.01

4. Julia Freeman.  Easterley RC.            24.41

5. Jo Fisk.              Godric CC.                25.45

6. Sally Withey.     Team Swift.              25.47.

Tandem: John Swanbury & Ali Banks    VC Baracchi.        23.33