Markham’s best ever at windy Lancaster (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Markham’s best ever at windy Lancaster

8:39am Thursday 19th May 2011 in Cycling By Dave Brown, Cycling correspondent

Julian Markham of Mellor Brook produced one of his best ever rides when he clocked a personal best 50- mile time of one hour 53 minutes 40 seconds to beat a quality field in the Lancaster Cycling Club event on Sunday morning.

In wet and windy conditions on the Keswick based course, the next best East Lancashire-based rider was Paul Taylor of the North Lancashire Road Club in eight place with 2-03-28, while Sue Cheetham of the same club came away with the ladies’ award with her 2-21-37 ride.

The first Wednesday evening 10-mile time trial held by the North Lancashire Road Club on the Edisford circuit near Clitheroe attracted a near record of over 30 starters, which is a positive omen for the forthcoming season in these events.

Fastest on the night was Rossendale’s Paul Warrener with 24 minutes 34 seconds, just beating Guy Laycock (24-47) of Wiswell but riding for Greater Manchester Police, Paul Taylor (24-49) and Richard Sagar (24-57) with the tandem of Gill Craske and James Prossor next in 25-25.

In contrast, only two riders braved the weather and the course when the Pendle Forest midweek time trial moved up to a 13-miler with the climb from Gisburn to the top of the Blacko road to the finish.

Forest’s own Ian Duckworth beat team-mate Stephen Singleton with 41 minutes 44 seconds against 44-02.

Warrener was the winner of his own club’s 10 mile on the Hapton course where his time of 25-32 was well ahead of Matt Harris of the Rossendale Tri Club with Rossendale Road Club members Jason Craven (26-51) third and Julian Monk (27-10) fourth.

n This evening starting at 7pm, the Blackburn and District CTC promote their always popular 2-up Team Time Trial on the Barton based course north of Preston.

Organiser Dave Collinge of Twiston has 26 teams on the Start Card with favourites probably being Burnley’s Jimmy Wright and Preston Wheelers team-mate Paul Fleming of Walton-le-Dale, who were second fastest last year.

One pair certainly to watch is 50-mile winner Markham teamed with Dave Ebbrell. The headquarters is at Bilsborrow village hall, which is on the A6 and alongside the course giving a good vantage point.