Arctic Premier RT rider David Nichols was very much in his element on a snow-covered Broome Heath.His skills and fitness brought him a 41 second victory in the VC Baracchi cyclo-cross near Bungay.

Arctic Premier RT rider David Nichols was very much in his element on a snow-covered Broome Heath.

His skills and fitness brought him a 41 second victory in the VC Baracchi cyclo-cross near Bungay.

On the first lap Nichols tested the opposition on a steep, loose climb where bikes had to be carried. No-one could match him, and after two laps he had a 17-second lead.

Michael Raven (Extreme Sports Therapy) lost 30 seconds with a de-railed chain on the first lap.

Shaun Aldous (EST), who lives locally and trains on the heath, and an on-form Richard Dunnett (Diss & District) both put in bids for second place.

Aldous looked to have settled the issue, but as the brilliant sun dropped in the sky the ice on corners hardened and Aldous had a massive last lap crash and only just limped in two second ahead of Dunnett.

Raven worked his way steadily through the field to take fourth place. Diss & District's Ian Newby carried his Trek vest - worn in honour of former team mate Joe Waller, whose memorial event this was - to a clear win in the Elite Veteran class. Newby found it worthwhile to constantly search out new lines through the powdery snow on the corners. Norwich rider Tim Guy (EST) got quicker and quicker as he got the measure of the course, eventually taking 12th overall.

Phil Buick (Thetford MTB) had his eyes on matching his daughters who had each won their classes - Anna the senior women's and Imogen the U14 girls. Phil Buick's chance was in the 50+ men's race, where he swapped the lead with Bruce Robinson Eventually, with cold fingers fumbling gears, he conceded eight seconds to his Shaftesbury CC rival.

In the non-elite veteran's race Robert Smith (Ipswich BC) scored his first ever win in 12 years of cyclo-cross racing, after a strong challenge from Richard Jackson )Colchester Rovers). Giles Cowley (Team Streetlife) who was fifth, and Gary Wootton (Tri-Anglia), 10th overall and 2nd Junior, were new names showing well.

Josh Hannan (Extreme Sports Therapy) won the Youth race by well over a lap and Sophie Holmes (Diss & District) beat all the boys to win the Under 10s.

Results - Seniors, Juniors, Elite Veterans: 1 David Nichols (Artic Premier RT) 9 laps in 53:27; 2 Shaun Aldous (Extreme Sports Therapy) +0:41; 3 Richard Dunnett (Diss & District CC) +0:43; 4 Michael Raven (Extreme Sports Therapy) +1:04; 5 Nathan Miller (Interbike) +1:07; 6 Greg Simcock (XRT/www.

Elmycycles.co.uk) +2:06; 7 Ian Newby 1st Elite Vet (Diss & District CC) +3:36; 8 Dominic Schils (Lotto Olympia Interbike) +4:21; 9 Matthew Cook 1st Jun (API Metrow) +4:41; 10 Clive Harrison Elite Vet (Ford CC) +4:4212 Tim Guy (Est/LCN) +5:19; 14 Phil Buick Elite Vet 50+ (Thetford MTB Racing) +5:31; 15 Martin Dunnett (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +0:01;; 19 Richard Green (Streetlife) +1 lap +0:57; 21 Jack Wootton Jun (Tri Anglia) +1 lap +2:05; 22 23 Neil Stevens (VC Norwich) +1 lap +2:59;; 25 Simon Ward Jun (NABC) +1 lap +5:29; 26 Simon Millard (Team Streetlife) +1 lap +5:43; 27 Charlie Haines (Streetlife) +2 laps +6:17;

Youth: 1 Joshua Hannan (Extreme Sports Therapy) 5 laps in 36:45; 2 Alan Trolove (West Suffolk Whls) +1 lap -4:30; 3 Lewis Parker (Ipswich BC) +1 lap -3:27 6 Imogen Buick 1st Girl (Thetford MTB Racing) +1 lap +1:04;

Under 12: 1 Tristan Price (PCA Ciclos Uno) 7 laps in 11:32; 2 Callum Mackie (Lee Valley Youth CC) +0:51; 3 James Jackson (Colchester Rovers) +1:01; 4 Sophie Holmes 1st U10 (Diss & District CC) +1:03.