Lizi Duncombe and Ian Hope were victorious at the Shaftesbury CC middlemarkers 25-mile time trial in Cambridgeshire on Saturday afternoon.

31-year-old London-based Duncombe, riding for Socks4Watts Race Team, clocked 55-26 to take victory by a single second from Liv AWOL’s Eva Callinan with veteran Louise Robinson (Essex Roads CC) third.

Meanwhile, Ian Hope secured the first open time trial victory on his CTT record when he clocked 50-24 for the F2a/25 course, taking the win by Paul Turton (Team Vision Racing-Silverhook) by 1-16 while Leon West (CC Sudbury) was another 12 seconds back in third.

Bedfordshire Road CC rider Andrew Mussett clocked 58-14 to take the prize as the best improved rider, going 8-29 faster than his previous best, while Essex Roads CC won the team prize thanks to Trevor Phillips (54-44), Louise Robinson and Simon Higgs (57-03).

Conditions for the event were dry, sunny and a bit warmer than recently which made up for having to move courses because of roadworks on the A14.

The sections of the course back to Madingley were a bit slower as a gusting easterly breeze made things harder, but it didn’t stop a lot of riders improving with 51 of the 94 finishers securing new personal best times.

The event results only show performances from riders who had not previously beaten 56 minutes, but it does highlight the great strides that many other riders are making if they tend to be slower or just starting out in their racing careers.

Starting near Madingley, the course uses the A428 heading around the northern edges of Cambourne to the turn at the junction with the A1198 Ermine Street.

While this was Ian Hope’s first 25-mile time trial it surely won’t be the last time he tackles a CTT event, with 13 other entries on record including Sunday’s Newbury Velo 10 as well as the Lea Valley CC 10 and Sportzmad 25 in a fortnight’s time.

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