ESSENDON has a new time trial king, with Patrick Ambrose taking the prize for the second straight year, having displaced long-time champion Brent Stanton in 2016.

The defender took out the Bombers' 2km time trial at Tullamarine on Friday from second-year midfielders Kobe Mutch and Dylan Clarke.

Mason Redman, Kyle Langford and David Zaharakis rounded out the top six, with Josh Begley and Martin Gleeson finishing equal seventh.

Ambrose and Clarke ran personal best times, as did Travis Colyer, Kyle Langford, Jake Long, Shaun McKernan and Jordan Ridley.

The players ran in three groups, divided up into forwards, midfielders and defenders.