Ben scorches to new course record at King’s Lynn time trial

Ben Stancombe stormed to a new course record at Lynn Cycling Club’s latest time trial on Wednesday.

In scorching hot conditions, Stancombe recorded a stunning time of 53.22 which saw him finish two-and-a-half minutes clear of the remaining riders.

The event saw the largest turnout of the season so far and it wasn’t just Stancombe who relished the searing heat, with more than half of the 22-strong field breaking the hour mark.

Stancombe, who was followed home by Ben Keeley and the two-up pairing of Jon Talbot and Tiago Fougo, 17, set an average speed of 28 miles-per-hour.

The second Lynn Cycling Club member home was Steve Neill with a time of 56.33, while James Senter, who was the third home rider to cross the line in 58.03, picked up ten points.

Neill’s display sees him retain his lead in the men’s time trial championship with a full house of ten scoring rides, and a total of 106 points.

Stancombe is second in the standings with 94 points from seven rides.

Another rider breaking the 100-point barrier this week was teenager Bethany Barnett.

Barnett, 13, posted a time of 1.15.12 to take the honours in the Juniors category, ahead of Tye Rugg, who was not far behind in 1.16.49.

It is shaping up to be the most hotly-contested championship with Barnett’s maximum points haul taking her to within just two points of Rugg’s 110.

A repeat of this result next time out would leave the young duo locked on level points.

Barnett has also registered 102 points in the ladies time trial class, but has yet to get the better of Kay Burgess this season, with the latter in unstoppable form this week.

She was a massive ten minutes clear with an impressive time of 1.05.07.

The biggest points total in any category still belongs to Simon Hardy in the men’s old school.

Hardy won for the seventh week in a row, and this level of consistency was matched by the fact that his 1.03.54 was just two seconds slower than he managed last week.

Moving on to 130 points, his cause is helped still further by his closest rivals squabbling over the runner-up spot.

On this occasion it was taken by Chris Sopp with a time of 1.06.36, ahead of Trevor Marshall’s 1.09.09.

The ladies old school victory was taken unopposed by Sam May, improving by a minute on her previous effort to clock 1.24.26 to close the gap on overall leader Heather Rugg to six points, with both ladies having competed five times this year.

Times: Ben Stancombe 53.22, Ben Keeley (Team Velovelocity) 55.53, Jon Talbot (Wisbech Wheelers) and Tiago Fougo (Strava Sport) 56.08 (two-up), Steve Neill 56.33, Robert Warwicker (Tri Anglia) 57.18, Alec Seaman (RNRMC) 57.56, James Senter 58.03, Ivan Carr 59.06, Jamie Sparrow (KLTC) 59.36, Ray Barnett 59.52, Justin Gyton 1.03.13, Simon Hardy 1.03.54, Charlie Sopp (Fatbirds) 1.05.04, Kay Burgess 1.05.07, Chris Levy 1.05.24, Chris Sopp 1.06.36, Trevor Marshall 1.09.09, Neil Holland 1.12.56, Bethany Barnett 1.15.12, Tye Rugg 1.16.49, Sam May 1.24.26.