Ely & District Cycling Club/B&T Motor Repairs opened their Time Trail season with the annual Hardriders TT, which saw club rider Matt Eley finish in an impressive eighth place.

Ely Standard: West Suffolk Wheeler's Sarah Wells.West Suffolk Wheeler's Sarah Wells. (Image: Archant)

A field of 90 cyclists - a record number - gathered at the event, and it was the last man to depart, Mark Arnold, that recorded the fastest time of the day on the BS19 course at Little Downham.

The Northernly wind didn’t hinder his time, finishing the 25 mile course in a time of 56 minutes and 21 seconds - just a minute off the course record.

However, the course proved unlucky for some, with ten riders coming off on the greasy corners. Some managed to get back on and finish, but others failed to recover and couldn’t complete the race.

In second place was Ben Beynon of Kassei CC Teknofuel with a time of 58:49, while VC Baracchi’s Liam Gentry came third with a time of 58:53.

Fastest lady of the day was West Suffolk Wheelers rider, Sarah Wells.

Despite being one of the riders who took a fall, she cycled to an impressive time of 1:10:51.

Leading Ely rider went to Matt Eley who finished eighth overall, but was also part of the team that took the Team Prize, along with Dan Bromilow and John McAndrew.