Mark Richards (D A P Cycling Club) planned his effort perfectly to win the Diss & District CC 25 by over 30 seconds, while Claire Hall (Parenesis-TougHuman Cycling) was quickest woman.

Richards, aged 39, took his fifth open victory of the season stopping the clock in a winning time of 52 minutes and 50 seconds.

The B25/17 saw riders competing on the traditional out and back course along the A1066 between Diss and Thetford.

Calm conditions greeted riders and the quiet stretch of road meant that there was little advantage from passing vehicles.

Richards, from Lowestoft, also won the Godric 25-mile event last month and was the only rider to break the 53-minute mark this time out.

Veteran rider Dan Blackburn (Epic Orange Race Team) finished runner-up for the fourth time from five open events this season in 53-23, while Mark Ash (Cake Gang) completed the podium positions in (55-04).

“My power was a little bit lower, so I was surprised to win,” said Richards.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a little bit of wind to work with. The first part and last part of the course is up and down and then the last four miles out to the roundabout was flat.

“I planned to ride the hill hard and then recover on the downhills. Next weekend I’ve got the East District championships.”

Veteran rider Hall, from Halstead, won the women’s event in a time of one hour, three minutes and 33 seconds.

Hall also won both East Anglian VTTA 10-mile events and took her fourth open victory of the season on this occasion.

Fellow veteran and road bike competition Kerry Brennand (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) finished runner-up in 1-07-59 and Sharn Crane (Beccles Tri Club) placed third (1-11-37).

Tim Coogan (East Grinstead Tri Club) won his first open road bike category event in style stopping the clock in 1-03-51.

On this occasion David Gill finished second in 1-06-48 ahead of his Diss & District CC team-mate Edward Nottingham in third (1-09-51).

Brennand was the quickest road bike competitor finishing ahead of Emma Tarrant (East Grinstead Tri Club) in second (1-13-27) and Janice Nottingham (Diss & District CC) in third (1-23-30).

Diss and District CC won the team prize with Dominic Lowden, Patrick Ellis and David Gill being their three counting riders, while the top tandem was the VC Baracchi pair of Allistair Banks and John Swanbury in 1-03-44.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

Open:
1 Mark Richards (D A P Cycling Club)          52.50
2 Dan Blackburn (Epic Orange Race Team)  53.23
3 Mark Ash (Cake Gang)        55.04
4 Richard Camp (Kings Lynn CC)     56.47
5 David Ackerley (Stowmarket & District CC)         56.48
6 Nick Esser (Beccles Tri Club)         57.15
7 Dominic Lowden (Diss & District CC)       58.53
8 Steven Little (Colchester Rovers CC)         1:00.28
9 Andy Kennedy (Ipswich BC)          1:00.37
10 Nicholas Webber (CC Sudbury)    1:01.36

Women:
1 Claire Hall (Parenesis-TougHuman Cycling)          1:03.33
2 Kerry Brennand (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club)  1:07.59
3 Sharn Crane (Beccles Tri Club)       1:11.37
4 Emma Tarrant (East Grinstead Tri Club)    1:13.27
5 Suzy Esser (Beccles Tri Club)         1:13.53
6 Janice Nottingham (Diss & District CC)     1:23.30

Road bike:
1 Tim Coogan (East Grinstead Tri Club)       1:03.51
2 David Gill (Diss & District CC)      1:06.48
3 Edward Nottingham (Diss & District CC)  1:09.51
4 Gerry Barton (West Suffolk Wheelers)        1:25.33

Women:
1 Kerry Brennand (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club)  1:07.59
2 Emma Tarrant (East Grinstead Tri Club)    1:13.27
3 Janice Nottingham (Diss & District CC)     1:23.30