Above standard Tom takes win

TOM Sykes came out on top with a superb solo time of 1:03:44 as the Ely and District Club cyclists took on the gruelling 25 mile Vets On Standard event last Tuesday. A steady head-wind ensured that the competitors were pushed to the limit in the ride

TOM Sykes came out on top with a superb solo time of 1:03:44 as the Ely and District Club cyclists' took on the gruelling 25 mile 'Vets On Standard' event last Tuesday.

A steady head-wind ensured that the competitors were pushed to the limit in the ride out from Witchford to Chatteris and back.

All who finished this course came well under 1:20:00 and there were some good all-round performances given the difficult conditions.

Andy Stephen and David Block came in second and third with strong rides recorded at 1:08:48 and 1:10:02 respectively.

Hot on the heels of the top three came Richard Winrow at 1:10:21, Malcolm Robinson 1:11:24 and the Ely club's very own powerhouse Martin Holland at 1:11:29 to leave behind Eddie Green, the winner of the coveted 'Lantern Rouge', who finished in fifth place.

Tandem tornado team Colin and Celia Whitechurch agonisingly missed the hour mark, chalking up a blazing 1:00:09.

British road stars Ian Cammish, Ben Price and Hugo Hocknell provided a fine spectacle of harmonious teamwork riding 3-up over the testing A142.

They crossed the with a very good training time of 55:46. The object of racing teams is to provide shelter for each other while taking turns on the front to keep a steady pace and ultimately finish faster than a lone rider.

Opting for the 10 mile track to Sutton, Andy Bright rode under the 24 minute milestone with a fantastic 23:42. This raised the bar for one of his closest rivals, Andy 'Cyclone' Clark who has yet to break that barrier.

Philip Peacock impressed with a firm 24:39 and John Jermy (28:21) Ray Jolly (28:29) finished very closely.

Racing prodigy Harvey Leadbeater dignified his Ely team colours with a redoubtable effort of sheer determination to clock 31:45 and show a glimpse of what it takes mentally and physically to ride a bike as fast as you can.

The next Ely and District Cycling Club event will be Tuesday, July 18. It will be another 25 mile test on the Witchford - Chatteris circular course.

Riders should meet at the Witchford Pavilion 15 minutes before the official start time of 7pm. All are welcome to attend and you don't need a specialist bike.

For more details check out www.elycyclingclub.com or telephone Marc Cox on 01223 263862.