Fergus MuirThe Tour of the Dengie Marshes saw a stylish lone win by Adam Biggs of Basso Bikes. The region's landscape was exploited to the full as riders basked in sun and wide open spaces but faced wind and potholes on almost deserted roads twisting through farms in the far east of Essex.Fergus Muir

The Tour of the Dengie Marshes saw a stylish lone win by Adam Biggs of Basso Bikes.

The region's landscape was exploited to the full as riders basked in sun and wide open spaces but faced wind and potholes on almost deserted roads twisting through farms in the far east of Essex.

The field splintered within the first five miles of the 85 mile race as crosswinds, corners and potholes put paid to ideas of 'sitting in' the shelter of riders in front. However, this year there was more dust than mud on the notorious farm track section this year.

'I knew you had to be near the front,' said Bigg, who raced on the continent for the first three years of his senior career and has just returned to racing after a sabbatical.

Bigg and Jon Mozeley (Kuoto) made the decisive move just over after half distance. They were joined by Bigg's team mate Rob Sharman and maintained a slender lead over a further break of five. Bigg made his move with four miles to go and had 20 seconds in hand at the line.

Nino Piccoli (TTW/ Pedal Revolution) won the Plomesgate 10 mile time trial near Orford in 22:14, eight seconds up on Arctic Premier rider Matthew Miles. A drenching storm hit the race halfway through the starting order. Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford RT), who was fifth in 23:28, catch the worst of it, while Piccoli, starting last, had to pick his way around sand washed out onto the roads.

Andrew Leggett (Stowmarket and District) was third in 23:15, James Eman (Anglia Velo) fourth in 23:38 and Gavin Moore (Stowmarket) sixth in 23:59.

The next day Moore was the highest-placed rider from Norfolk or Suffolk in the 45 mile Ciclos Uno road race at Matching Tye. The race was yet another win for the St Ives CC, this time Jason Hucklesby taking the flag from a break of four.

CC Breckland junior Adam Cross travelled to Bath for the opening national round of the Rudy Project Time Trial series where he took eighth place in the U18 event in 1-9:09.

There are opportunities for riders of all ages to get into shoulder-to-shoulder bike racing when the season of coaching and racing on Lotus Cars' Hethel test track gets under way.

The series starts on Wednesday, May 5, with an evening of road race coaching. On May 12 senior racing for British cycling licence points gets under way and on May 26, the first of a series of handicap races clicks in - using the longest circuit and thus with scope for bigger allowances than have been possible in previous years.

Riders as young as eight can to take part in the programme of coach-led racing under British Cycling's Go-Ride scheme. The Lotus Cars Cycle Race League website www.lotuscycleracing.org has further details, or organiser Ken Jolliffe (telephone 01953 681755) will be pleased to help.