Photo by TIM BRYETT
Two top turnouts at Spalding Cycling Club’s open pair of ten mile time trial events have boosted morale among its members.
The number of new members and guest riders attending the events is increasing and adding to the competition, making for an exciting start to the campaign.
The first race was dogged by windy evening weather, but a host of fast times were set by some of the 26 club members and four guest riders who took the start.
It was pace ace Neil Palmer who was fastest on the night with 24.08mins, but he was chased hard by Chris Ward, who finished second in 24.59mins.
Sam Bentley completed his ride in 26.27mins for fifth place and first under-18, while Aimee Stocker again took the award for first lady as she finished ninth overall in 27.35mins,
In the under-16s competition, Jake Norton and Matt Ellis had a closely-fought race. Norton eventually crossed the line in 29.26mins, with Ellis following in 29.59mins.
Tilly Gurney, meanwhile, took 31.50mins to finish as first girl.
Best of the guests was Andy Barnard with 25.51mins, which would have been good enough for fourth overall on the night.
Better weather encouraged a bigger field of 32 club members and four guests to ride the second race and – many were rewarded with PBs and faster times.
Unsurprisingly this included Palmer and Ward, who both chipped several seconds off their previous times to finish in 23.20mins and 23.28mins respectively.
Meanwhile, Stocker improved by exactly one minute to take the first lady honours again in 26.35mins, while second lady Nicole Flatters started her 2014 season with 38.40mins.
Talented teen Bentley showed great consistency in riding to another fifth place in 24.54mins and the top under-18 time once again.
First under-16 was Gurney in exactly 30.00, with brother Will narrowly missing the win by finishing on 30.08mins. Ross McGivern was also among those to set a PB.
The guests improved too, with special mention going to C Wookey of Spalding Triathlon Club for taking almost four minutes off his previous best time of 39.01mins to finish with 35.07mins.
