New veteran Jim Burgess has wasted no time in making his mark in Veterans' TTA racing, with the best scratch time in the VTTA 10-mile event on the Rougham to Woolpit and back dual carriageway.

Burgess, who is from Worlingham near Beccles, got back to the timekeeper in 20:53, which was 61 seconds quicker than the next fastest, Ian Cammish, who had comfortably won the VC Norwich 25 a week earlier.

Norfolk riders put in the next-quickest rides – Jason Turner (Norwich ABC) returned in 22:15, North Elmham rider Geoff Frost (VeloVelocity) was just seven seconds slower, with David Staff (VeloVelocity) on 22:42 and Steve Gorbutt (Diss & District) 22:46.

Prizes were awarded for the fastest in age groups spanning five years, so Burgess won the 40-44 group while Chris Nudds (CC Breckland) sewed up the 60-64s with 23:29.

It was a bright sunny morning with a crosswind – about equally hard in each direction.

It was interesting to see that the Colchester Rovers 50, run on the same morning on a complex and quintessentially sporting course had a slightly larger entry (69 riders). Winner was roadman Jason White (SPOCO Supporter's Club) in 1:54:29 while a notable ride came from 83 year-old Peter Horsnell (Chelmer CC) who was cheerfully extolling the virtues of the event after finishing in 2:49:13.

The previous day the VTTA 25 on the Newmarket bypass attracted riders from far afield. They found fast times hard to come by.

'A cold blustery north-east wind - 12 to 18 knots,' said RAF CC man Dave Green from Thetford, who was 10th in 53:32. Paul Womack of VC Baracchi, who was just five seconds outside the hour in the VC Norwich 25, frustratingly went back to 1:00:38, while best of the CC Breckland entrants was Roger Graham (1:04:10).

The Eastern Road Race league round was the Spring Lambs Road Race at Bicknacre where Matthew Menlove (Maldon & District) won a mass sprint in which Thomas Gillingwater of Wymondham-based Strada Sport was fifth and the first Norwich rider was Glyn Thomas (VC Norwich).

• With a choice of distances starting at just seven miles Beccles Rotary Club's Cycle for Life is ideal for a family ride. This year the date is Sunday, May 12 and the organisers are hoping to beat last year's total of 440 participants. Details can be found at www.becclescycleforlife.org.

Veterans TTA 10 Rougham, Scratch times: 1 Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) 20:53, 2 I Cammish (Sonic Cycles) 21:54, 3 J Turner (Norwich ABC) 22:15, 4 G Frost (VeloVelocity) 22:22, 5 D Staff (VeloVelocity) 22:42, 6 S Gorbutt (Diss & District) 22:46, 7 A Jardine (Ipswich BC) 22:58, 8 S Boyle (Stowmarket & District) 23:22, 9 C Nudds (CC Breckland) 23:29, 10 Richard Reade (Norwich ABC) 23:47. Lady: Sue Clarke (Team Cambridge) 29:32.