Mark Arnold wins the season's first 50-mile time trial

With several course records and top rides to his credit already this season, Mark Arnold (CC Desiragear) took a convincing victory in the season’s first 50-mile time trial in Essex, the Colchester Rovers event at Great Bromley on Sunday.

Arnold, 39 and from Bury St Edmunds, clocked 1-49-45 to take the win by 3-25 from Arctic Tacx Racing Team rival Mike Broadwith, while veteran Tom Boulton (Finsbury Park CC) took third, more than ten minutes behind dominant Arnold.

Bath Road Club’s hilly 31.2-mile event on the Southend to Bradfield circuit attracted more females than males, with it being a round of the South East Women’s Time Trial Series, and made for a competitive event.

Reigning National TT series champion Rebecca Slack (Look Mum No Hands RT) was fastest female in 1:22:21, ahead of Detta Guerrini (London Dynamo) with 1:25:06 and Jasmijn Muller (Kingston Wheelers) in 1:25:19.

Scratch man Nick English fell victim to a puncture, leaving the way clear for Phil Watts (North Hampshire RC) to take the win in 1:19:05, just four seconds ahead of Twickenham's CC's Stephen Campbell.

Veteran Pete Tadros was just one second away from securing a one-two last weekend as the 43-year-old In Gear-Quickvit rider continues to prove consistent.

He was second in the Catford CC 10 at Tonbridge on Saturday, his time of 19-53 being just one second slower than race winner Jonathan Parker (PMR @ Toachim House), while Parker’s team-mate Chris Fennell took third and Louise Mason (Velorefined Aerosmiths) was best woman.

And the following day Tadros went one better, winning the Addiscombe CC 25 at Broadbridge Heath in West Sussex by almost two minutes.

His time of 53-49 was 1-58 quicker than his nearest rival, Paul Callinan (London Dynamo), while Madeleine Lee-Smith (East Grinstead CC) was the best female in 1-03-40.

Edinburgh University’s Harry Bulstrode was crowned BUCS 25-mile Champion after clocking 52-05 in the title race at Cumnor, Oxfordshire, on Saturday.

He beat Ed Bradbury (Cambridge) by 15 seconds, while another Cambridge rider, Hayley Simmonds, was fastest female in 57-00.

A shortened course for the Ogmore Valley Wheelers didn’t deter the hardened testers, and National Series leader Matt Bottrill (Drag2zero.com) travelled to Rhigos in Wales despite the bad weather forecast, and took victory over a 22.4-mile course in 42-20, more than a minute clear of Kieron Davies (Team NBCC), while Justyn Cannon (RAF CA) was third.

There were some impressive times over 10 miles with Michael Hutchinson (In Gear-Quickvit) clocking 19-26 to win the Hampshire Road Club 10 on Saturday at Greatham.

Seb Ader (a3crg) clocked 20-07 to take second and was 25 seconds ahead of Steve Irwin (Kingston Wheelers), third in 20-32.

Ben Anstie (Cadence RT) pipped the promoting club’s Rob Pears to victory in the Bath CC 10 on the Frome bypass in Somerset. Anstie’s time of 20-24 was just five seconds better than Pears, while Billy Oliver (RST Aerocoach) was 1-14 off the pace in third.

Mark Jones (Drag2zero.com) won AW Cycles’ 10-mile event on the Witney bypass in Oxfordshire. He covered the distance in 20-32 to win by three seconds from reigning national hill-climb champion Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy CT), while another Drag2Zero rider, Jon Simpkins, was third, a further three seconds back.

And in the East Sussex CA 10, Chris McNamara (Pedal Heaven) took the win by 44 seconds at East Hoathly, while Robert Rollings (Lewes Wanderers) was second and Maurice Brennan (Redhill CC) third, just one second further back. Lizzy Brama (Brighton Mitre CC) was best of the women.