LONG-TIME linchpin of the Verulam Cycling Club senior squad Ian Brazier, reminded his team-mates what they will be missing next season when he claimed the club trophy for the fastest time in the blue ribband 25-mile event at the weekend.

Brazier, who turns 40 during the close season and will compete in the veteran category next season, proved that age has not wearied him with two of the best rides of his career, including a season's best time of 54.03 at the Hillingdon Road Club race on Sunday, October 21.

That performance came just hours after he cycled to fourth place in the Norlond Combine event on Saturday, finishing in 54.18.

His form during the second half of this season has persuaded Brazier to compete in the season's final event this weekend, the draining National Hill Climb Championship staged over the hills of North Wales on the outskirts of Wrexham.

Nicki Hunt was also successful at the weekend, winning the ladies race at Hillingdon in a time of 1:02.11. Paul King (1:03.25) and Pete Rogers (1:08.31) also took part, while Rogers again (1:06.20) and Dave Walker (1:04.18) competed at Norland.

Meanwhile, Pete Cookson represented Verulam in the CC Sudbury 25-mile event but his excellent time of 55.13 could not compare to the performance of Zak Carr of Southend Wheelers, whose time of just over 48 minutes was 45 seconds outside the all-time record for this distance.

October 24, 2001 14:01