IT was only the first Pendle Forest Cycling Club evening 10 mile of the 2015 season but Cliviger’s racing cyclist of the moment Richard Bideau got very close to Steven Burke MBE’s course records, writes DAVE BROWN.

Bideau clocked a very impressive time of 20 minutes and 29 seconds which was only nine seconds short of the Olympic Gold Medallist’s best on the course from Thornton-in Craven to Skipton and back.

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Second fastest Paul Braithwaite (also PF) was three minutes adrift but still with a good ride of 23mins 39secs followed by Richard Sagar (North Lancs. Road Club) 24mins 10secs.

Simon Phillips (PF) was fourth in 24mins 31secs while the best woman rider was Barnoldswick’s Amy Gornall of the RST Racing Team in 26mins 5secs.

In the midweek 25-mile time trial held in the Fylde our East Lancashire riders were well up in the placings both on time and when measured on age –or ‘standard’.

Overall fastest on the day was Huddersfield’s Nigel Haigh in 56 minutes 12 seconds but Darwen’s Ian Cox of the North Lancs. Road Club was not far away with 56mins 57secs for second place.

Based on age another Yorkshire rider Brian Sunter came out tops with his time of 1hr 2mins 3secs being 12 mins 33secs better than the standard time for his age, or Plus.

The North Lancashire Road Club pair of Cox and Blackburn’s Dave Hargreaves tied for third place with both having a Plus of 10mins 6 secs better than their age allowance.

There was some controversy in the latest Lakes and Lancs Sporting Courses counting event when the promoting Lancaster club had to shorten the course due to roadworks but did not get the message to all competitors.

This meant that some riders found the chequered board in position after 15 of the scheduled 21 miles.

Burnley’s Peter Greenwood was easily the fastest East Lancashire-based rider in 35 mins 53 secs for 10th place which gave him the Vet60 award.

The overall winner in 32mins-58secs was Adam Hartley of the PH-MAS Cycling team.