Ely & District Cycling Club - B&T Motor Repairs made a delayed start to the time trial racing series last week.

Ely Standard: Rob Golding (pic Davey Jones)Rob Golding (pic Davey Jones) (Image: Archant)

British Cycling had taken the decision to suspend all competitive racing at open and club level at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown in March.

But with restrictions easing, the governing body allowed competitions to resume, albeit with strict social distancing rules in place.

Due to the reduced length of the racing season, Tuesday’s 25-mile championship race included both the veterans race and handicap race.

And run on a course going from Witchford to Chatteris and back, it saw Darren Bennett continue from where he had left off in 2019, proving that lockdown had not slowed him down at all.

Ely Standard: Jason Ward (pic Davey Jones)Jason Ward (pic Davey Jones) (Image: Archant)

Bennett not only won the race outright but also set a new course record, completing the 25 miles in a time of 53 minutes 56 seconds.

Second place overall went to Rob Golding with a time of 56.12, followed by John Manlow who stopped the clock at 59.05.

The same three took the same places in the Veterans race, where scratch times are compared to a standard time based on the rider’s age and gender.

In the handicap race Jason Ward beat his time by a massive margin to give him first place, while Martin Brown took second place and Rob Golding took a clean sweep of podium positions in all three championship categories by finishing third on handicap.

Ely Standard: Martin Brown (pic Davey Jones)Martin Brown (pic Davey Jones) (Image: Archant)

There was also a non-championship 10-mile race which was won by Cliff Loveday in a time of 23.02, followed by Martin Holmes (23.59), who managed to break the 25mph barrier despite riding on a standard road bike.

Chris Brown took the last step on the 10-mile podium with a time of 24.04.

Full results – 10 mile TT: Cliff Loveday 23.02; Martin Holmes 23.59; Chris Brown 24.04; Andy Bright 24.28; Geoffrey Alan Brewster 24.59; Sharon Bennett 26.04; Alison Holmes 28.58.

Ely Standard: Cliff Loveday (pic Davey Jones)Cliff Loveday (pic Davey Jones) (Image: Archant)

25 mile TT: Darren Bennett 53.56; Robert Golding 56.12; John Manlow 59.05; Will Shepherd 1:02.46; Martin Brown 1:03.31; Jason Ward 1:10.30; Hanno Fisher 1:11.30.

Ely Standard: Martin Holmes (pic Davey Jones)Martin Holmes (pic Davey Jones) (Image: Archant)