The 2016 racing season is well and truly underway.

]On Saturday March 5, Ayr Roads CC/Harry Fairbairn BMW sent two teams through to East Lothian to contest the Musselburgh Roads CC team time trial over a testing 24-mile course.

In this format teams of three riders have to finish together with the counting time being taken on the third rider to cross the line. Fastest of the 40 teams was the elite Pro Vision squad in 54 minutes 33 seconds. The Ayr Roads ‘A’ Team of Alastair McGibbon, Kevin Brown and Alex McAllister was placed 11th with a time of 61:30 and the ‘B’ Team of Robert Kelly, Calum Hume and Jody Gerrard finished 15th..

Last Saturday, attention switched to Ayrshire and the Hilly Time Trial promoted by Loudoun Road CC on testing roads between Galston and Sorn.

All the local cycling clubs were well-represented in the field of 80 riders with 9 Ayr Roads members taking the start line. When the dust had settled and the timekeepers had checked and double-checked the results, the winner was declared to be Neil Muir of the Royal Albert CC with a time of 35 minutes 8 seconds for the 13.7 mile course. Best of the local riders was Ronnie Todd of the promoting club in second place only 7 seconds slower. Ed Clifton was Ayr Roads’ best hope for a high-placed finish but his race ended at the halfway mark after a puncture.

However Janet Erskine took the Women’s prize and Brian Yates took the prize for Best Newcomer, and to round off a fine day for the Ayr club Greg Templeton took the prize for the best time on an ordinary racing bik.

On Sunday 15 club members led by captain Bobby McGhee left Ayr and rode via Straiton into the Galloway hills, taking advantage of the fine Spring weather.

The route took them over Tairlaw summit and down the Nick o’ the Balloch road towards the high valley of the River Stincha. The return to Ayr was by the hill road to Crosshill then Minishant, giving a circuit of 50 miles.

Sunday sees the running of the Fenwick road races by Walkers CC of Kilmaurs with bunches of 60 riders.

Ten Ayr racers will be showing the navy and green colours with hopes resting on the shoulders of Greg Templeton, Simon Woodliff and Kenny Armstrong.

Meanwhile Ayr Burners Cycling Club had high expectations last weekend as they faced up to the task of 'Everesting' one of the famous roads within the heart of the Galloway hills.

The Nic of the Balloch was the venue for this audacious attempt to equal the height of Mount Everest by repeatedly scaling 'The Nic', with 36 ascents of its 248 metre summit required to gain 9000 metres - the height of the summit of Mount Everest.

Two 'Burners' teams took on the task with participants ranging from Max McGarvie (7) to Rob Gemmel (69).

The riders completed the task within four hours with an amazing total of 98 ascents recorded for the two teams.

The weekend schedule for 'The Burners' starts with a two-hour informal group ride which departs the Burns Centre on Murdochs Loan at 9.30am.