Daniel Bloy (King's Lynn CC) had a decisive win in the Norwich Amateur Bicycle Club's 10-miler along the Waveney Valley where his 20:39 was over a minute clear of all-comers – but behind him there were many close battles in progress.

Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford) was in second place after six tailwind miles, but Paul Jay (VeloVelocity), who had a minor snag with his elliptical double chainrings at the start, made up a 16-second deficit to finish second in 21:46, four seconds ahead.

Most competitors can only dream of such times, but their battles with regular rivals are nearly as intense – and seconds do indeed count. Richard Polley Tri-Anglia) passed the six-mile point in 13:28, with John Swanbury (VC Baracchi) at 16 seconds and Phil Hollingsworth (East Anglian CC) a further six seconds back.

However, after the hard four miles to the finish at Wortwell, Hollingsworth (25:15) was one second faster than both these two. Perhaps when a headwind cuts in, experience counts – Hollingsworth has been racing more or less continuously through five decades, Swanbury 'only' about two, while Polley is a relative newcomer.

Also close were CC Breckland clubmates Mark Fairhead (24:45), and Roger Graham (24:46) – Fairhead was nine seconds up at six miles. John Newman (NABC) was determined finisher, turning a seven-second deficit on fellow veteran John Thompson into a 28:21 to 28:32 advantage at the line.

Though it was clearly faster on the way out to Bungay, there was a strong cross element – enough for ladies' winner Sally Withey (25:00) to choose a front wheel without a deep section rim – the latter might have been a handful for a light rider in a crosswind.

n There was a one-two-three win for Team CCN in the Mud Sweat and Gears round overlooking the Thames Estuary at Langdon Hills. Glenn Stanford finished faster than all the Sport category riders, with team-mates Shaun Aldous and Jason Smith in the next places.

n At the Basildon cyclo-cross Imogen Buick was third in the 15-rider women's field and dad Phil Buick was seventh in the Veterans.

The course of the 'GHS' national 10 mile time trial championship for schoolage riders was an eye-opener - it used narrow lanes near Husbands Bosworth before opening out onto a headwind finish across an exposed airfield. Watton rider Declan Davis moved up from 53rd last year to 23rd with 24:09 this year - and still has a year in hand in the age-group. Fourteen year-old Dougal Toms from North Elmham finished in 25:55 while Isla Rush from Weybourne was 16th among the girls in 28:05.

RESULT - Norwich ABC 10 Wortwell:

1 Daniel Bloy (King's Lynn CC) 20:39, 2 P Jay (VeloVelocity) 21:46, 3 G Taylor (Shorter Rochford) 21:50, 4 J Weatherley (CC Sudbury) 21:55, 5 L Calderon (Iceni Velo) 22:06, 6 A Leggett (Stowmarket & District) 22:24, 7 A Jardine (Ipswich BC) 22:37, 8 C Nudds (CC Breckland) 22:39, 9 M Smith (Iceni Velo) 22:56, 10 E Dean (Norwich ABC) 23:02.

Ladies: 1 Sally Withey (VC Norwich) 25:00, 2 Julie Baker (Colchester Rovers) 25:53, 3 Christine Cooke (CC Breckland) 26:48, 4 Jane Blackwell (Norwich ABC) 27:05.