EMILY Martin scored an important win as she embarks on the new season for Weaver Valley Cycling Club.

She achieved the course record at the Drighlington British Cycling 25 mile Time Trial near Thirsk.

The 'out and back' course uses A roads, and the lack of roundabouts and street furniture generally produces fast times.

Martin’s time of 55.51mins beat the previous women's record of 56.15.

She also came in two minutes ahead of second placed Josie Smith (Trek Sheffield) who finished in 57.57.

In the same event, Sam Taylor finished in an impressive 51.14 in fourth place in the men’s competition, with the fastest rider, Jack Levick of Rose Race Team, completing the course in a blistering 48.27.

The club’s Guardian Cup 10-mile time trial series, starting at Lach Dennis, is proving popular, with riders attempting to improve their times week by week.

In the first scoring round, Sam Taylor produced the fastest time of 21.15, and Emily Martin was second fastest in 22.41, beating her own women’s course record and further evidencing her excellent form.

The club’s road racers have been active locally.

In round three of the Cheshire Series TLI race, at Lower Withington, two riders from Wrexham Fibrax broke away as the flag was raised – leaving the bunch struggling to chase them. Their teammates blocked at the front, making the chase even harder. Weaver Valley riders Jeff Wood, Matthew Heath and Lloyd Smith worked together in successive attempts to bridge the gap, but were constantly thwarted and dragged back to the bunch.

The race was eventually won by Ben Lloyd from Wrexham Fibrax, with Jamie Fletcher from Ellen Vannin CC in second place, and Matthew Wales, also from Wrexham Fibrax, in third.

Weaver Valley’s Heath did well in the final sprint, to achieve third place in his age category (40 to 44) and eighth overall.

Weaver Valley’s John Keen featured in the older age group race.

Keen worked with a small group to bring the lead group back to the bunch, after 15 miles, then attempting his own break with another rider, but this was eventually neutralised by the bunch.

By this time Keen’s efforts meant he was unable to contend the sprint.

The club’s trio of Wood, Heath and Keen also competed in the Steve Gutteridge Memorial Road Race, hosted by Liverpool Century CC on the Siddington Road Circuit.

Wood and Heath were active in their section of the race, chasing down breaks, and eventually Heath made it into a break of two, with Wood helping to block from the bunch, creating a 30-second gap for Heath and his partner in the break. However a crash led to the race being abandoned.

The club’s mountain bike section was represented at the Borderlands Challenge, organised by Oswestry Rotary.

The course, starting at Rhiwlas near the Ceirog Valley, was technically challenging, measuring 22 miles and including over 3,000 feet of ascent.

Paul Harding, Nick Butterworth and Eleanor Underhill rode as a group and despite punctures, completed the course in under three hours.

The club welcomes all riders and details can be found on their website and facebook pages.