Amid a grand total of 90 riders, a record 31 Colchester Rovers competed in the club’s Open 50 at Great Bromley.

Last year’s winner, Paul Smith of Ciclos Uno, repeated the act with a superlative ride of one hour 51 minutes and 52 seoncds.

With team-mate Dean Lubin just ten seconds behind in second place, both riders benefited from late starts as the morning warmed.

Conditions were less clement for the early 7am starters, when temperatures read a chilly three degrees.

Ex-Rover Mike Smith, now with Interbike, returned to finish fourth in 1-55-28.

Phil Jarvis was fastest Rover for the second year running with an even better two hours three minutes and three seconds.

Jim Reed followed in 2-04-25, ahead of Nick Webber (2-05-18) and Graeme Knott (2-06-21).

Meanwhile, Julie Baker, Carla Holroyd and Elspeth Knott set a new 50-mile team record for lady veterans.

While Baker was the fastest of the Rovers’ ladies in 2-21-09, Knott took four minutes off her previous best in 2-25-30. The event winner on Handicap was Rover Peter Newell.

l Other Rovers times included: Adrian Manley (2-07-00), Mark Lloyd (2-07-47), Ken Baker (2-08-35), Richard Jackson (2-09-00), Will Hunt (2-11-19), Steve Green (2-19-23), Vincente Martinez (2-20-48), Ed Spurgeon(2-21-18) and Dennis Warner (2-22-04).