Last updated 19:40, Thursday, 15 May 2008

FROM the weekend races the wind had subsided in strength to a moderate breeze blowing from the south west for the first of Velo Club Cumbria’s Tuesday evening 25-mile time trials and on a warm evening 25 riders turned out with several visitors from Border City Wheelers.

In the classic distance it has became a challenge to beat the hour mark, as it was in athletics to do the four-minute mile. In club events it was almost a rarity for this 25mph barrier to be beaten .

Not so in West Cumbria, with 10 of the fastest riders in the county getting under the hour the standard is very high indeed .

Fastest on the night was Brian Payton,Velo Club Cumbria, clocking 53 minutes 56 seconds only five seconds off the club record .

Rob Hargreaves, Team Swift, came in second in 54.48 ahead of Mark Amor,VCC, 55.28, both riders almost three minutes faster than in the Nelson Wheelers event on Sunday.

Geoff Ayers, VCC, was fourth with 56.40 after clocking 450 miles training with the pros in Italy the week before. Adam Powe, VCC, crossed the line in 57.02 and fifth ahead of his training partner Dave Robinson who clocked 58.37 in sixth place.

Fifteen-year-old Richard Houghton, Keswick Bikes, achieved a pb time with 58.41 in seventh beating Adrian Sowerby, Andersons Racing, eighth in 59.28.

Two seconds later Alan Roper came in ninth with 59.30 and Mike Haugh, Border City Wheelers made the top 10 in 59.50.

Derwent Valley CC started a series of 10-mile time trials on the old Embleton course starting from Cockermouth School through Embleton and a loop past the sailing club and back from Dubwath.

These are taking place bi-weekly with Solway CC putting on a 10-mile TT at Thornthwaite both events on Thursday evenings at 7pm.

In the first of the sporting course series visiting rider Brian Poole, Andersons Racing, Carlisle, set a new record for this reversed loop course finishing in 24.38 seconds with Ken Hargreaves, Team Swift, second in 28.27. Third was Don Morrison, VCC, in 34.57 and fourth David Swift, VCC, in 39.59.