Norwich cyclist Cindy Berry faced down the challenges of a wet Ely & District Hardriders time trial and finished women's winner.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich rider Cindy Berry on her way to the top women’s award in the Ely Hardriders Picture: DAVEY JONESNorwich rider Cindy Berry on her way to the top women’s award in the Ely Hardriders Picture: DAVEY JONES (Image: CAMBRIDGE 2019)

Berry (Pedal Power Ipswich) finished in 1:07:13 for the 25.2 miles, including stretches of twisting pot-holed Fenland roads.

Top local rider among the men was Lowestoft's Mark Richards (DAP CC) whose 57:09 was just 43 seconds slower than men's winner Felix Barker's time. Richards was fourth behind Cambridge University CC members Toby Cowell (56:28) and Rob Walker (56:39).

The Hardriders lived up to its fearsome reputation, it being cold and raining for the whole race.

Richards said: 'Lots of standing water and the roads haven't gotten any better, so loads of bumps, grooves and pot holes.'

Richards did his best to stay out of the puddles for fear of dropping into hidden holes.

'It was bumpy enough to knock me off my armrests twice,' he said, with the straight lane along – and actually below – the Hundred Foot Drain the worst of all.

Other well-placed local finishers included Ben Beynon (Pedal Revolution) sixth in 58:18, Lucas He (58:41) who was third counter for team winners Cambridge University CC, and George Macfarlane (VC Norwich) 10th in 1:01:43. Further down Norfolk-based Cambridge University rider Jali Packer finished in 1:05:28 and Ritchie Parkins of Diss CC in 1:12:35.

Richards' DAP CC team-mate Morris Bacon travelled to Hampshire for the traditional road race season-opener – the Perf's Pedal race.

'Pretty miserable all round,' was the Bungay rider's verdict on the conditions. The move of the day went clear in a tailwind section on the ridge road along the hog's back of Portsdown Hill. Bunch speed would have been very high indeed.

With an 85-rider field Bacon was too far back to have a chance of joining the break. However, he made a couple of attacks later in the race and finished 19th, 1:53 down on winner Jacob Vaughan (Canyon DHB) but more than three minutes ahead of the big bunch which contained Dickleburgh rider Kieran Jarvis of Team OnForm.