Liam Maybank claimed a second victory of the season in winning the Eastern Counties CA 50-Mile Championship in Cambridgeshire on Saturday afternoon, with Deborah Beare finishing as quickest woman.

Riding for Twickenham CC, Maybank lived up to his pre-race status as Spindata favourite and while he did not trouble Andy Critchlow’s 1:35:36 course record, he clocked 1:39-20 to beat Karl Norris (360VRT) who set a six-minute personal best in 1:42.49, while the final spot on the podium was taken by Anthony Jones (VMCC powered by Y Beic) in 1:43-25.

On his win, Maybank said: “It was a tricky ride with my power down after not getting an easy week quite right, so I was hanging on in the second half.

“My aero is in a good place though and the course sped up on the last lap to help us home.”

In the women’s event, Icknield RC rider Beare set an unbeaten 1:56-48 to see off the challenge from Claire Emons (a3crg) who took the runners-up spot in 1:57-32, while a time of 1:58-48 saw Hitchin Nomads CC’s Emily Varley claim third place.

Beare said: “I was pretty pleased with my performance; it was my first time trial of the season, and I've not really done any speedwork, so I had no expectations.

“The main aim was to practice race pace and nutrition ahead of my A race, which is the European Aquabike Champs in Portugal next month.

“I've got a 25 and a 10 over the next couple of weeks to get some speed into my legs and then I should be ready.”

There were 50 finishers from 69 on the start sheet and the long-threatened road works at Caxton Gibbet have not yet started but is still a worry for events on F2 courses for the rest of 2024; and probably well into 2025 and beyond.

This event, run on the F2/50 course, starts just west of Childerley and heads east on Saint Neots Road before looping back westbound past the start and onwards through Cambourne to the Caxton Gibbet roundabout, turning to retrace the route back past the start line to turn around the A1303 roundabout, and sees riders complete this ten times before finishing by the start line.

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

Results:

Open:

1. Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC)      1:39.20

2. Karl Norris (360VRT) 1:42.49

3. Anthony Jones (VMCC powered by Y Beic)    1:43.25

4. Simon Butteriss (Ely & District CC)   1:45.24

5. Kevin Baumber (Shaftesbury CC)1:45.50

6. Martin Fisher (Melton Olympic CC)  1:46.31

7. Darran Bennett (Ely & District CC/B&T Motor Repairs)            1:46.43

8. Chris Jones (Bynea Cycling Club)      1:47.06

9. Wolfgang Emmerich (Team Bottrill)  1:47.24

10. Nic Pillinger (St Neots CC)  1:47.36

Female:

1. Deborah Beare (Icknield RC)1:56.48

2. Claire Emons (a3crg)               1:57.32

3. Emily Varley (Hitchin Nomads CC)   1:58.48

4. Elizabeth Chittenden (Eagle Road Club)         2:09.55

5. Ann Shuttleworth (Cambridge CC)    2:13.53

6. Leena Peltonen (Freedom Tri)             2:15.38