Stowmarket roadman Mike Bell scored his first-ever win in the 57-mile Orwell Velo Road Race based at Gosbeck.

Ipswich Star: The bunch at Greenway Farm, Gosbeck. Photos: Fergus MuirThe bunch at Greenway Farm, Gosbeck. Photos: Fergus Muir (Image: Archant)

Bell (Fast Test) outsprinted James Sherwood (Orwell Velo) and Mark Powell (Stowmarket & District CC) after the trio had escaped from the bunch on the first lap and stayed away to the end.

Autumnal mist caused a 30-minute delay to the start, but conditions soon became brighter, with a headwind on the finishing straight – the finish returning to the road outside Crowfield Rose, after some years of finishes at Framsden

As it became obvious that the break was not coming back, Robin Hawes (Chelmer CC) launched himself off the front of the bunch for a last lap attack, which proved doomed

Leaving Pettaugh with a mile to go, Powell attacked. Sherwood chased him down and took the lead, Powell following with Bell third wheel – and on the point of blowing. But Bell recovered to take the win from Powell, who is effectively his club-mate, with Sherwood third.

Ipswich Star: The breakaways at Gosbeck. Left to right: Mark Powell, James Sherwood, Mike Bell.The breakaways at Gosbeck. Left to right: Mark Powell, James Sherwood, Mike Bell. (Image: Archant)

Towards the end Cambridge CC’s Bjorn Krylander successfully attacked from the bunch and took fourth place, 11 seconds ahead of his clubmate Sam Barker with the bunch streaming in behind.

Harley Matthews (DAP CC) brought the course record for the Wortwell-based version of the Waveney Valley “10” course under 20 minutes for the first time with his19:56 winning time in the Norwich Amateur BC event. Matthews, from Bradwell near Great Yarmouth, had 13 seconds in hand over Matthew Senter his rival all this season and 14 seconds over Daniel Bloy. Fastest lady was Kay Burgess (King’s Lynn CC, 25.22)

Riders faced a difficult return leg – in particular the drag past the Earsham pig farm. “A long grind back”, said Manningtree Wheeler James Potter (22:53).

However this leg is nearly a mile shorter than the outward one. Rain showers were threatening, but passed the course by.

Ipswich Star: Paul Rooke (West Suffolk Whs) a personal best at the NABC 10Paul Rooke (West Suffolk Whs) a personal best at the NABC 10 (Image: Archant)

Fastest from CC Sudbury was Leon West in 21:04, just seven seconds faster than Junior winner Lucas He (21:11).

Paul Rooke was top man from West Suffolk Wheelers just outside the top ten, but pleased with a personal best 21:48 for 11th place. Jack Hardwicke, making an amazingly quick recovery after his crash in the Regional Championship road race three weeks earlier, was fastest Plomesgate CC member on 22:02, just ahead of Ipswich Velo’s Peter Kerry (22:12).

Next morning competitors in Plomesgate CC’s open “10” on the Wickham Market course faced a hard slog out to the turn at Woodbridge. Juniors dominated, with Lyster Romero, on home ground, winning in 20:32 and Lucas He second in 21:25. Third spot went to Matt O’Brian, a new name from the Plomesgate, who finished in 21:39.

Incidentally, following his “training ride” - and win - in the CC Breckland 50, Joe Skipper won the European 140.6 Triathlon Championship in the Netherlands a week later.

Ipswich Star: Fastest from the Manningtree Whs James Potter at the NABC 10Fastest from the Manningtree Whs James Potter at the NABC 10 (Image: Archant)

Eastern League cyclo-cross riders stretched their legs at Chelmsford over a course including three flights of steps and two pairs of hurdles. James Madgwick (QSW/Bloodwise) won the Senior race from Jonathan Dennis (Kibosh), while Grant Martin (XRT/Elmy Cycles) was third. Top Junior was Martin’s new XRT team-mate Cameron Hurst. Jo Newstead, also of XRT/Elmy was top Suffolk finisher in the Women’s race which was won by Junior Lauren Higham.

King’s Lynn MTB club organised a splendid six-hour enduro race over a 5.5 mile course on Shouldham Warren. KLMTB’s father and son team of Paul and James Ashby won the race for Pairs – the only team in the whole field to manage 15 laps of the hilly course between Swaffham and Downham Market. Even winning three-person team of Clement Palozzi, Lee Woodcock, and Chris Hunter could only get 14 laps in, albeit finishing 12 minutes earlier. Top Pairs-Female team was Mel Paddington and Emily Quantrill riding for Saffron Walden team Newdales Cycles. Andrew Cockburn (Newdales) was first solo finisher, 12 56 up on Wolsey’s Dan Howe.

RESULTS:

NORWICH ABC 10, Waveney Valley: 1 Harley Matthews (DAP CC) 19:56, 2 Matthew Senter (Team VeloVelocity) 20:09, 3 Daniel Bloy (VeloVelocity) 20:10, 4 Mark Richards (DAP CC) 20:18, 5 Barnabus Purbrook (Nuun-Sigma) 20:37, 6 Leon West (CC Sudbury) 21:04, 7 Lucas He (VC Baracchi) 21:11, 8 Kieran Brady (Richardsons/Trek) 21:21, 9 Liam Gentry (DAP CC) 21:28, 10 Ben Keeley (VeloVelocity) 21:45.

WOMEN:1 Kay Burgess (King’s Lynn CC) 25:22, 2 Jan Smith (Great Yarmouth CC) 26:23, 3 Catherine Pearce (Iceni Velo) 27:08.

ORWELL VELO Road Race, Gosbeck:1 Mike Bell (Fast Test RT), 2 Mark Powell (Stowmarket & District CC), 3 James Sherwood (Orwell Velo), 4 Bjorn Krylander (Cambridge CC) + 2 mins 50 ses, 5 Sam Barker (Cambridge CC) + 3:01, 6 Jonathan Poole (Chelmer CC), 7 Steven Messenger (East London Velo), 8 Mike Padfield (North Norfolk Whs), 9 Liam Fenner (API-Metrow), 10 Douglas Allen (Velo Schils)

PLOMESGATE CC 10 Wickham Market : 1 Lyster Romero (TBW/Wigmore) 20:32, Lucas He (VC Baracchi) 21:25, 3 Matt O’Brien (Plomesgate CC) 21:39, 4 Paul Jay (VeloVelocity) 21:52, 5 Simon Daw (Velo Schils) 21:53, 6 Jack Hardwicke (Plomesgate CC) 22:16, 7 James Rush (CC Sudbury) 22:45, 8 Peter Kerry (Ipswich Velo) 22:48, 8 Angus Jardine (Ipswich BC) 22:57, 10 Adrian Pettit (Stowmarket & District) 22:59. Women: Denise Hurren (Sole Bay Sport) 24:15.