ANNA Muir, competing at the Shaftsbury 50-mile time trial, has smashed the Colchester Rovers’ Ladies’ 50-mile record.

The record had stood for 17 years and in breaking it she also set a new lady veterans’ 50 mile record.

Her time of two hours and 42 seconds took almost three minutes from the club record of 2h 3m 29s, set by Julie Baker in 1998, and a massive six minutes from the veterans’ record, also set by Baker in 2003.

A phenomenal achievement that earned her the handicap crown in the event, to add to her new club records.

The club’s 30 mile TT was held at Tendring on Sunday.

Heavy rain before the start made roads treacherous, with two riders crashing in the start area before the event had begun.

Strong winds followed the rain, making the closing miles a slog, reflected in the fact that the first two finishers also won handicap awards – the toughest came out on top.

Fastest, and first handicap, was Nick Webber with 1h 15m 5s, followed by Giles Askham, with 1h 16m 58s, gaining him third handicap.

Peter Partner finished second on handicap with his 1h 26m 3s.

Current club champion Adrian Manley led race winner Webber by two minutes at the 18-mile mark, before a puncture and a troublesome tyre change cost him significant time.

It was a tough baptism for Rachel Jarvis, riding her first 30 mile TT, but she did enough to be crowned Ladies Handicap Champion, and winner of the Harry Haynes Memorial Cup, in her first year in the sport.

Junior rider Ben Steadman had a fantastic ride to win the third category race at the Cyclopark in Gravesend, a sterling effort amongst a strong field.

As well as the win itself, Steadman collected enough British Cycling points to qualify as a second category rider, a fantastic achievement for such a young rider. The battle for under-14 supremacy at the Suffolk Cycle Racing Series at Trinity Park reached its conclusion last Wednesday.

West Suffolk Wheelers’ Fraser Elsworth cemented his position at the top of the series leaderboard with an excellent win, crossing the line at the front of a small bunch of four riders.

Rovers’ Dexter Mansel-Thomas was fourth in the race, his first race without a podium ending, but did enough to finish second in the series overall.

Senior racer Mike Smith came home in 11th in the E/1/2/3/4 race, giving him a final fifth place in the series.