MORE than 160 riders travelled from across the Midlands to tackle the Worcester St John’s Cycling Club’s annual 10-mile open time trial.

Riders on the course at Salford Priors were rewarded with sunshine and favourable conditions but a nagging headwind on the return leg.

The event was marshalled by club volunteers who were expecting large numbers of participants after the Redditch Open was cancelled.

The men’s event started first and the fastest rider on the day was David Mead of Lutterworth in 19 minutes 27 seconds.

The quickest St John's rider was Simon Garrett in 21.04 which put him seventh on a day when some top-quality competitors entered.

Simon Adcook also did a personal best with 21.28 and Martin Lines achieved 21.48.

Mark Daffin did 22.01 and Paul Guest returned from illness with 22.08.

Rob Nicholls and Ed Dursley finished in 22.01.

New member Mark Cooper did well for his first open with 23.17.

Young Harry Tait missed out on a PB by just two seconds with 23.38.

The ever-improving Rikky Hughes did a PB with 24.05 as did Adrian Murray with 24.29.

Nick Bent achieved 24.39, Stuart Parker 26.06 and Gary Holland 26.37.

Two tandems competed followed by the women's event which was won by Jessica Rhodes Jones from Beacon Roads in 22.35.

St John's rider Samantha Clarke did 25.27 and Rebecca Lane 26.06.

Twenty-six ladies competed as part of a series with local riders Vikki Sivertsen (Malvern Triathlon Club), Dianne Wynne (Velo Club Sevale) and Arja Scarsbrook (Bush Healthcare) also involved.

Meanwhile, there were 37 riders for a Worcester St John's/Velo Club Sevale 10-mile time trial at Chance Lane.

Garrett was fastest with 21.47, 12 seconds ahead of Graham Browning (Sevale) in 21.59.

Lines was third in 22.52 followed by Daffin in 22.55, Guest in 23.04, Nicholls in 23.05, Will Davies in 23.10, Jez Pile in 23.19, Nikki Juniper in 23.33, Nic Bradburn in 23.53, Cooper in 24.17, Dursley in 24.20, Sean O'Toole in 24.24, Martin Stanley in 24.25, Mike Amery in 24.28 and Russell Middleton in 24.53 among others.