Matthew Smith took victory in his first event of the 2024 season with success at the West Suffolk Wheelers & Tri Club 21-mile time trial on Saturday afternoon, with Nichola Bennett winning the women’s event.

Riding a road bike, DRAG2ZERO rider Smith clocked 49-52 to take the honours ahead of Alex Purcell (CC Sudbury) who was quickest time trial bike in 50-11, with West Suffolk Wheelers pair Lee Sturman and Jordan Black second and third in 53-06 and 53-27 respectively on time trial bikes.

This was Smith’s second consecutive win, having won his last event of the 2023 season with victory at the Finsbury Park CC 25-mile time trial on September 30, which followed two consecutive second places at the Cambridge CC 25-mile time trial and ECCA 10-mile time trial in early September.

On his victory, Smith said: “The Wheelers event is a great early season sporting course, I was keen to get a hard effort into the legs early this year.

“I’ve been watching the popularity of road bike events over the past year and this seemed a great race to give it a go.

“I was pleased with my ride particularly for the first time out and the course was well suited to blasting round on the road bike.”

Second fastest road bike went to Jon Manlow (Ely & District /B&T Motor Repairs) in 53-43 while a time of 57-45 helped Andy Kennedy of Ipswich BC to third in the road bike category.

In the women’s event, West Suffolk Wheelers’ Bennett clocked 1:07-38 for victory on a time trial bike with Judy Brown the fastest road bike for Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club in 1:00-42 ahead of Carol Watson (West Suffolk Wheelers) on a road bike for third overall in 1:08-23.

Riders faced challenging conditions, with cold eastern wind making for a difficult afternoon’s racing and meant that, of the 34 entered, there were five DNS including pre-race favourite Tyler Hannah .

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.

Results:

Open:

1. Matthew Smith (Road Bike) DRAG2ZERO         49.52

2. Alex Purcell (TT Bike) CC Sudbury          50.11

3. Lee Sturman (TT Bike) West Suffolk Wheelers     53.06

4. Jordan Black (TT Bike) West Suffolk Wheelers     53.27

5. Jon Manlow (Road Bike) Ely & District CC/B&T Motor Repairs            53.43

6. Andy Kennedy (Road Bike) Ipswich BC   57.45

Female:

1. Nichola Bennett (TT Bike) West Suffolk Wheelers   1:07.38

2. Judy Brown (Road Bike) Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club      1:00.42

3. Carol Watson (Road Bike) West Suffolk Wheelers    1:08.23

Schoolboy: Oliver Ferris. 1.20.19