THE Hainault Roads Club’s contingent of early season racers travelled across the county border to Cambridgeshire on Saturday to compete in the Eastern Counties Cycling Association 10 mile time trial.

Despite the sunny outlook the afternoon brought strong winds to the event.

Club champion Rob Dulson fared best of the five Hainault riders crossing the line in 23 minutes and 56 seconds in his first race of the season.

“It was a hard day with a strong cross wind on the way out and no respite for the return leg,” Dulson later said.

Just over half a minute slower was Mark Steers, riding his fixed-wheel machine, to record 24:28.

Local businessman, Chris Tomkins, secured a personal best time of 25:21 for this distance while Paul Gee and Paul Emery stopped the clock with creditable times of 26:55 and 29:36 respectively.

The event was won by Lee Bark of Stowmarket and District C.C. with a time of 21:17.

The following day saw The Hainault Roads Club back in Essex for the Lea Valley 25 mile time trial. Held on the E1/25b course and starting in the village of Ugley, Hainault fastman Ian Short took third place overall with a blistering 57 minutes and 3 seconds for the 25 mile distance. Chris Tomkins, clearly on form, managed to shave four and a half minutes from his previous efforts on this course to record a time of 1:04:40.

Dean Lubin, riding for PCA Ciclos Uno, continued his winning streak taking the event in an outstanding 55:55.