WORCESTER St John's ace Mark Corbett won the trophy as more than 70 cyclists contested the annual Gerry Hughes road race in near-perfect conditions near Martley.

Ten St John's riders tackled the 51-mile run under LVRC (League of Veteran Racing Cyclists) rules organised by club members Vince and Sarah Page.

The race is in memory of the ex-St John's president.

In the 40 to 50 year race, Adrian Bird set up a fast tempo early on the first lap along the A443 to Great Witley, stringing out the bunch and setting up Mark Corbett for a counter-attack.

Coming back towards Martley, Corbett was joined by eight others including team-mate Richard Allcock and defending champion Steve Dring from Echelon Cycles.

The group worked hard over the next 30 miles, building up a healthy lead.

With 10 miles left, Corbett launched another attack past Witley Court, forging ahead with Jason Meyer from Stourbridge.

Corbett powered away to secure the Gerry Hughes Memorial Trophy for the home club.

Allcock protected Corbett's lead back in the group to come in ninth.

Back in the depleted bunch, Bird brought in the sprint for 11th but team-mate Tim Farmer suffered a puncture.

There were six flying the new club colours in the 50 to 60 year race in Vince Page, Richard Rollason, Carl Dee, Darren Fearns, Rob Nicholls and Richard Graham.

Towards the end of the first lap, Stephen Ellis from Out of the Saddle went clear just before the climb out of Great Witley before Rollason and Stuart Wilson caught him.

The trio worked well together and stayed clear for the rest of the race with Rollason taking third in the sprint and Ellis winning.

St John's riders worked well as a team with Page and Dee going clear from the bunch in the last lap to get fifth and sixth respectively.

In the 60-plus race, track riders Trevor Bradbury and Mac McGready claimed first and second respectively with local rider Marcus Walker third and Tour of the Abberleys organiser and VC Sevale member Mike Amery from Malvern in sixth.

Three St John's members beat the club team record and smashed their personal bests in south Wales.

Simon Garrett, Simon Adcook and Martin Lines tackled the R25/3H course from Hirwaun and decimated the previous club record of two hours 40 minutes 59 seconds with 2.38.2 for a two-minute victory for the fastest three riders' combined times.

All got PBs with Garrett achieving 50.55, Adcook 52.51 and Lines 54.16.

"We plan to go back to the same course in late June at Glynneath to ride the Bynea CC event," said Adcook.

"The course was draggy, like riding through treacle, but next month we will put the record on the shelf."

Corbett won a club 17-mile hilly time trial around Hallow, Great Witley, Martley and Lower Broadheath in 39.54.

Mark Daffin was second in 41.36 and Lines third in 42.17.

Sam Clarke clocked 51.38 and Dylan Perkins 47.41 for much-improved times from last year.

Thirty-four riders did a 10-mile time trial at Chance Lane, Malvern.

Garrett was fastest posting 21.48 with Daffin and Jez Pile joint second on 22.41.

Robin Somers had the fastest road bike with 25.36 while new members Dan Timmins and Sam Revell posted 26.54 and 28.04 respectively.