James Jenkins led a one-two for Richardsons-Trek, while in-form Welwyn Wheeler Elspeth Grace was quickest female in the Hainault Road Club hilly 50-kilometre event on Sunday.

Jenkins, 23, clocked 1-06-00 to finish exactly four minutes quicker than team-mate Aaron Freeman in second, while another 2-35 behind in third place was Southend Wheelers’ Dave Pennington.

Three women tackled the challenging course near Navestock in Essex, and fastest was in-form Welwyn Wheelers youngster Elspeth Grace, the 22-year-old who covered the 50km in 1-20-32 which gave her the win by almost six minutes from Miriam Bullock (East London Velo), with Toni Saunders (Hainault RC) third.

Fifth overall in a field of 49 riders, Dan Jenkins (Southend Wheelers) won the prize for veterans 50-60, while the over-60s award went to Paul Caton (Verulam-Really Moving) who was sixth overall.

With two riders in the top five Southend Wheelers won the team prize, with Pennington being joined by Jenkins and Barry Simpson in the winning trio with a combined time of 3-52-48.

A headwind on the main drag that riders have to cover twice put paid to any hopes of really fast times on the exposed course, although the roads were dry with just a few puddles in pot-holes to contend with.

Jenkins’ victory was his first open time trial of the year so far, with his last competitive performance being fifth in the National Closed Circuit Championship at Thruxton circuit last October.

And for Elspeth Grace this was a third victory in a row, having finished as fastest female in both the Ely and District hardriders and North Road CC hardriders over the last two weekends.

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

Results:

Men:

1. James Jenkins (Richardsons-Trek)  1:06.00

2. Aaron Freeman (Richardsons-Trek)           1:10.00

3. Dave Pennington (Southend Wheelers)      1:12.35

4. Euan Tebbutt (Cambridge CC)       1:14.03

5. Dan Jenkins (Southend Wheelers)  1:16.08

6. Paul Caton (Verulam-Really Moving)        1:16.37

Women:

1. Elspeth Grace (Welwyn Wheelers) 1:20.32

2. Miriam Bullock (East London Velo)          1:26.27

3. Toni Saunders (Hainault RC)         1:57.15

Veterans 50-60: Dan Jenkins

Veterans Over-60: Paul Caton

Team: Southend Wheelers (Dave Pennington, Dan Jenkins, Barry Simpson 1:24.05)          3:52.48