Most of the roadworks have now been completed on the A12 and the cycling fraternity are eagerly awaiting a return to the racing programme that normally takes place each weekend during the summer months.

The scheduled events have been seriously curtailed over the past six months because of roadworks suddenly commencing and it has been very much a 'pot luck' situation on the morning of the event to see if it can be held at all.

On Sunday, the United CC held their Middlemarkers 25 miles event from Hatfield Peverel to Marks Tey and back.

By starting the event on the Boreham section of the road and finishing nearly opposite, the club were able to stay clear of the Stanway repairs which should have by now disappeared but which are still lingering on.

Shaftesbury CC members were in evidence and in hot and humid conditions had comparatively good rides.

Wayne Greve recorded 1.3.44, Michael Purvis 1.5.28, Lorna Hanlon 1.5.32, Cathy Reed 1.9.26 and Derek Stagg 1.13.42.

At Bishop's Stortford, the Eastern Counties CA held their 50 mile time trial, but they too were caught up in a roadworks situation and the course had to be changed to a much hillier ride for the entrants.

In heatwave temperatures Tony Hanlon managed to record 2.18.41 (nowhere near his usual time) and Paul Bolton could not believe his time of 2.30.04. Robert Wright finished 10th with 2.4.55.

Former Olympic prospect Matt Illingworth of the Leo RC stormed around the course in 1.48.21 and this was a superlative ride on the morning with no-one getting anywhere near his time.

Tuesday night saw the Colchester Rovers promoting their 10 miles event on a new course based on the A120 to Frating.

The weather was ideal and everyone was anticipating fast times but the whole evening was marred by the tragic death of Colchester Rovers chairman, David Keeble, who was riding the event and was involved in an accident with a broken down vehicle.

He had been in the Rovers for many years and was an active committee member and he will be sorely missed by all those that knew him.

Those who did ride the event from the Shaftesbury CC were Terry Anderson 23.35, Joe O'Herlihy 24.11, Tony Hanlon 24.31, David Meisner 25.09, Elaine Barrow with a personal best of 27.33, and Lorna Hanlon won the ladies event with 24.44.

Terry, Joe and Lorna broke the vets team club record on standard by three minutes - the second time it has been broken in just four days. Steve China won the event in 20.02 a new course record.

Terry Anderson rode tandem with Connie Tapper of W. Suffolk Wheelers on Saturday in the Century 25 and broke the national age record for their combined ages by 38 seconds.

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