Ian Newby led a successful day for the Diss and District Cycling Club at the Gateway Greenspaces cyclo-cross, winning the senior race in which club-mate Richard Dunnett took third place.

Ian Newby led a successful day for the Diss and District Cycling Club at the Gateway Greenspaces cyclo-cross, winning the senior race in which club-mate Richard Dunnett took third place.

The course, on the slopes of the Langdon Hills, overlooking the Thames estuary, featured the biggest climbs - and descents - seen this season in the Eastern League, writes Fergus Muir.

Newby, who will be a veteran next year, found the long, gradual climbs to his liking - 'I could get my mind into it' - and he had the experience and skills to enjoy and exploit the fast, sweeping descents.

Newby was on tubs - tubular tyres - for the first time in his 12-year career and had spent a day on his training ground at Knettishall Heath sorting out tyre pressures and getting used to them.

Second-placed Andrew Nichols was also trying out tubs - borrowed from his brother David, winner at Broome Heath last week, who had been laid low by a bug.

Andrew fought a race-long battle with Dunnett and came off several times while getting acquainted with the tyres.

In the final minutes he opened a small gap, but Dunnett closed this as Nichols took the safe line on the final corners and it came down to a sprint.

Nichols won, but Dunnett still got his first-ever top-three finish.

Tom Castle (Glendene/Biketrax) took the junior prize, with Matt Cook, from Barnham, second. Cook and Luke Newby, who was absent on Sunday, now have equal points at the top of the junior table with two races remaining. David Nichols cannot now complete the minimum eight rides to count for a league win.

Colds or flu sidelined a number of regular competitors, including Diss rider Clive Ling, who pulled out after one lap of the veterans' race. Julian Parker (Ipswich BC) romped to maximum league points behind winner Gary Allan (Southampton).