ST IVES Cycling Club s spectacular start to the season continued with a third win from three outings in the Eastern Road Race League. Jason Hucklesbury outsprinted four other riders to cross the line first at the 74km Ciclos Uno race in Matching Tye, near

ST IVES Cycling Club's spectacular start to the season continued with a third win from three outings in the Eastern Road Race League.

Jason Hucklesbury outsprinted four other riders to cross the line first at the 74km Ciclos Uno race in Matching Tye, near Harlow, and extend the club's lead at the top of the league.

The remarkable run of form has helped the club to make an impression against the bigger clubs in the league according to committee member John Batchelor.

He said: "This sort of form is unheard of for the club - usually we think that if we get one win a season we are doing well, so to get three is more than we could have hoped for.

"If we can make it four out of four this weekend at Finchley it'll be like turning water into wine.

"The particularly pleasing thing is that we have won with three different riders, which shows the real depth we have in the squad. I think a number of the bigger clubs are starting to sit up and take notice of St Ives now. It makes a nice change for them to be chasing us down.

"We have enjoyed some good fortune over the first three races but it is also the results of several years of hard work by the riders."

Batchelor added that the strong start could have a positive knock-on effect for the club as the success attracts stronger riders to St Ives.

Hucklesbury's pre-race plan was to keep pace with the pack and attack in the latter stages of the race, and a breakaway on the fifth and final lap offered him an opening.

The group of four riders built a gap of 25 seconds with around seven kilometres remaining, and despite twinges of cramp, found the strength in his legs to outsprint his rivals up the hill to win by 10 metres.

Club mountain-biker Josh Ibbett also made an impression at the Altura Whinlatter Challenge, finishing fifth in a field of 550 riders in one of his first outings of the season.

St Ives rider Malcolm Smith also turned in a good ride to come 15th at the Tour of the Dengie Marshes in an Elite-category field.