Czech rider Jan Strapek took the East Anglian road race scene by storm with two wins in five days.

Czech rider Jan Strapek took the East Anglian road race scene by storm with two wins in five days.

First he led the way in the third round of the Lotus Cars League, and then he took the top honours in the 65-mile Beccles Road Race.

Strapek is 34 and was a customs officer in the Czech Republic. With the EU opening borders, he decided to experience life in Britain and is living at Worlingham, near Beccles, and doing manual work.

The VC Baracchi-promoted Beccles race was run off at over 24mph, but was notable for the lack of significant breaks.

Kevin Chambers (API) attacked on the sharp climb at Brampton with four miles to go and Strapek, who has joined the rival Interbike team, joined him.

Chambers faded and Strapek was there, eight second clear of a judges' nightmare of a bunch sprint, won by Interbike's Sean Sumner.

The early laps of the handicap race at Lotus were enlivened by the presence of former Tour of Britain King of the Mountains Ged Coles.

In the first intermediate sprint, contested by the limit handicap group after four laps, the 70-year-old was second to his Wolsey RC clubmat,e John Parkes.

Matthew Thurston (API) took the second sprint after eight laps and was third at the finish behind Strapek and Ben Nicholson (Interbike).