Mick Hutson was the only Southend Wheeler in the ECCA 50-mile time trial on the E5 course based at Boreham.

He made the top 12 with a new personal best of 1 hr 55 mins 21 secs - a seven-minute improvement on one of the fastest days of the year so far. The winner was Rik Van Looy (Colchester Rovers) in 1.47.19.

At Herne Hill Track in South London, Bob Barber won the Veterans Omnium, promoted by Catford CC.

Despite having missed the sprint heats, he won the 10-lap scratch race and the 15 points event.

He lost the "devil take the hindmost" by a tyre, but had enough points to win the competition overall for the second year.

Barber also has the lead in the Wednesday Veterans League at the same venue, but as he misses the meeting next week may lose top spot.

Wheelers Peter Chapman and Jed Rock took the day off from racing to compete in the Red Ride, a 112-mile jaunt from Rochester to Portsmouth. They did it in the company of former world champions Stephen Roche and Tony Doyle.

This is the exact route that riders in the PruTour will take next Monday. This seven-day stage race, sponsored by the Prudential, should have Westcliff's Matthew Illingworth on the start line in Westminster on Sunday for the Linda McCartney Foods team.

Chapman, 15, is a product of the BCF Challenge scheme, sponsored by the Prudential, and, in less than a year, has developed quickly to take on a tough challenge like the Red Ride and is now racing in time trials and circuit races.

Southend Wheelers were pipped into second place as Essex Roads Cycling Club won the Essex Cycle Racing Associations event for the third year running.

The 25-miler for teams of five was won in 4hrs 55m 6s by just 27 seconds, with the Becontree Wheelers third in 5hrs 30s.

Essex's winning team comprised of event organiser Nick Hastler (57.06), Colin Crickmore (57.24), Steve Tidiman (58:34), Steve Green (60.38) and Bill Thomas (61.24).

Crickmore turned in the ride of the morning, bearing in mind it was only his second ever race.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.