Victory to Stancombe, but headwind puts paid to any record attempts

King’s Lynn rider Ben Stancombe, men’s winner of the CC Breckland 25 Picture: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

However, Jan Smith took the Great Yarmouth CC club 25 record with 1:02:07 – perhaps as a replacement for the '10' record which her club-mate Jenny Anderson had reclaimed five days earlier in the Iceni Velo 10.

Racing in sun-baked countryside at Hintlesham, just outside Ipswich, Norwich rider Jimmy Piper won the Grand Vets (age 50-59) mountain bike race, while there were second places for James Pickering in the 18-39s and a third for Beccles rider Seb Herrod in the Elite/Expert race.

A threesome of Wayne Bennett, Andrew Cockburn and Herrod were soon clear at the front of the Elite/Expert field. Herrod was eventually tailed off and spent a tough two laps dangling barely 100 metres behind. Cockburn finally took the win by 21 seconds from Bennett while Herrod had over a minute on fourth-placed Glenn Whittington and Lee Woodcock (HKR).

Women's winners included Elvita Branch, Sarah Hewitt and Caitlyn Sampson.

Paul Watson (997) and Mark Wingar head a string of Vets 40-49 riders at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

Following her outstanding win in the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir – a National Women's Road Series counting event – Horsford rider Sophie Wright contested the National Road Championship in County Durham.

Attacking on the final big climb, Wright was up to third position, but in the end crossed the line 22nd.

In 30-degree temperatures near Saffron Walden, North Norfolk pair Mike Padfield (King's Lynn CC) and Connor Rumbles (Strada Sport) made an unsuccessful bid to bridge to a leading break in the Lea Valley CC Road Race.

Eventually the promoting club's David Veitch time-trialled off the front to win alone.

Norwich rider Jimmy Piper (Renvale RT) takes the Vets 50-59 flag at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

In the long uphill sprint Adam Hole (VC Norwich) took fourth, Padfield was fifth while Lewis Pendle (VCN), who had a repeat win in the Ipswich CRS mid-week races, was 10th.

In the Peterborough CC Road Race, Andrew Taylor (VCN) was King of the Hills and third overall.

The Gas Hill Gasp opens the Norwich Lord Mayor's Weekend this Friday – the first rider is off at 7pm.

Norwich rider James Pickering takes second place in Sport Category at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

Junior female winner Caitlyn Sampson at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: JOHN STYLES (Image: Archant)

Winner Andrew Cockburn (left) and Beccles rider Seb Herrod at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

The men’s start with Seb Herrod (1110) and eventual winner Andrew Cockburn (1105) at the Mud, Sweat and Gears MTB races at Hintlesham Picture: Fergus Muir:. (Image: Archant)