GARY Bartram was in sparkling form as Wyre Forest CC riders recorded strong times at Burton-on-Trent's 25-mile trial.

Bromsgrove rider Bartram took advantage of good conditions for riding to record his fastest time for nine years, when he completed the course in 55 minutes and 59 seconds to finish the event in fifth place.

Bartram will be hoping to maintain his excellent form in the National 100-mile championships.

He and fellow Wyre Forest rider Paul Prince will be aiming to take the competition, which will be held at the end of July, by storm.

Dave Wood also set a strong time in Walsall's event, finishing in 57.29mins, while Karl Davies set a new personal best of 59.13mins, followed by Carl Heitman (59.16mins) and Richard Pederson (59.23mins). Neal Peart was the event's overall winner with a time of 53.17mins.

Paul Carson was the fastest Wyre Forest rider in the Echelon Cycles ten-mile time trial near Evesham, finishing in 22.11mins to come 12th overall.

Pederson set a new personal best when he completed the course in 22.57mins for 19th place and Matt Krstic finished in 25.35mins in 35th place.

Veteran Mick Gray finished the course in a season's best time of 26.11mins.

Gray was in good form at the Veterans Time Trial Association's 30 -mile event when he finished in 20th place in a time of one hour and 33.40mins.

In the Ras De Cymru Prince led a team of Wyre Forest riders in Wales and performed strongly. He finished third in stage one and came 16th overall, after coming fourth in the king of the mountains section and ninth in the sprint finish.

Belbroughton rider Andy Convery won the most recent Wyre Forest CC ten-mile time trial in a time of 22.44mins, followed by Carl Harpin (23.24mins) and third-placed Richard Miles (23.27mins).

Tandem pairing Ruth and Phil Blacker set a new record with a time of 22.59mins, while Bromsgrove's Joe Rowe finished in 23.24mins, followed by Warren King (24.23mins) and John Callaghan (24.23mins).

In the Frank Tidmarsh Memorial Road Race last week Carl Halpin finished fifth overall.

Prince came 28th in the National 50-mile time trial Championships in Abergavenny.

He made a strong start but slowed down in the second half of the race and completed the course in one hour and 56.45mins, followed Bartram in 60th.

Convery battled warm conditions to finish 13th at the Ferryhill Wheelers 50-mile time trial.