Gaywood Proves a Hard Rider

Simon Gaywood won the North Road CC Hardriders 25-mile time trial in the face of a quality field for the early-season classic near Hertford.

The Team Corley Cycles 29-year-old had ridden the 50 miles from his home in Bedford, but still had enough left in the tank to take his first win of the season despite some top names also aiming to top the podium.

?I hadn?t really targeted a win in the event,? he said shortly after arriving completing the ride home again. ?I had hoped to get top five, but looking at the field I?m well pleased to have won because there?s plenty of good riders in there.?

Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport RT) was second, 18 seconds off the pace, while last season?s winner Julian Ramsbottom had to settle for sixth spot and a share of the team prize with his colleagues at De Rosa RT.

Elsewhere, British Best All-Rounder Nik Bowdler was edged off the podium in Yorkshire, where he was fourth in the Yorkshire CF 10-mile event at Tadcaster.

Staffordshire?s Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) made his journey worthwhile with a winning 20-47, while Clifton CC?s Philip Graves had to settle for second once again after finishing in the same position in the Team Swift event in East Yorkshire seven days earlier.

Planet X?s Brad Johnston took third as he prepares for a three-month Rayner-funded stint in Belgium later this season.

And in Scotland, Glasgow Couriers duo Jim Cusick and Alan Thomson made a winning start to the season with a win in the Fullarton Wheelers Two-Up 14-mile event at Drybridge, winning by around a minute and a half in a good field of 86 riders for the event on the A78 dual carriageway.