This Is Guernsey

Nick Mann, now a veteran, proves at Chouet he is still one of the best riders in the island. (Picture by Les Perry, 0567771)

ISLAND GAMES teammates Rob Smart and Josh Gosselin battled it out for the elite honours in round three of the Guernsey Velo Club’s Ian Brown and Arrowsmith Marlowe Cross-Country Series.

And it was the more experienced Smart who came out on top at an intriguing Chouet course. Much of it had to be changed from that which the riders had come to expect due to the large number of rocks that had washed onto the paths during the winter storms, which had made many of the usual sections non-negotiable.

The new course featured a long section of road, technical rocky sections, fast coastal path and a winding wooded section. It proved to be popular among the riders.  With the sun out for the later starters, a fast and frantic start along the road was headed by road cyclist Stuart Le Tissier, although he was soon over-taken by Smart and Gosselin when the riders hit the tight technical sections.

Jon Osborn headed a chasing group including Gary Robert, Leon Ogier, advanced rider Ben Walden and veteran Nick Mann.

Gaps between the riders began to open up as the race went on, with Smart once again opening up a small gap to the second-placed Gosselin.

Ogier found himself in third when Robert and Osborn both suffered a puncture.

He rode his heart out to try and maintain a top-three position, but on the final lap, Osborn, who had repaired his puncture, overtook him to take third.

At the front, Smart and Gosselin continued their rivalry, with Smart taking the victory by a little over a minute.

Le Tissier finished fifth followed by Richard Setters, Philip Touzeau and Robert.

Walden, who rode a strong race from start to finish, leading many of the expert riders for the duration of his race, won the advanced category.

Andy Gibson managed to hold off Simon Harrison to take second with Pete Miller in fourth followed by Aiden Stanford and Chris Carter.

The top veteran was Mann, who finished ahead of many of the advanced and elite riders, proving that he is still one of the best mountain bikers in the island.

Tim Martin continued his good form taking second place, with Andy Wilson third followed by Paul Watts and Paul Setters.

Earlier, the sports, under-16 and under-14 riders had got the action under way.

Phil Setters set off the fastest closely followed by Adam Sunderland, James Mapley, Tim Luscombe, under-16 Alistair Martin and under-14 Alex Falla.

Setters and Sunderland exchanged places every lap, with the former using his speed along the flat sections and the latter making the most of technical skill over the rocks.

Sunderland eventually got the better of Setters to take first in the sports category.

Further back, Luscombe finished strongly, catching and overhauling Mapley to take third place. Antony Renouf finished fifth.

Martin, who rode most the race with the top sport riders, won the under-16 category, Alex Wilson took second place with James Gardner in third.

The under-14 event was won by Falla, who once again competed very well with the older categories.

William Falla held off Michael Mann to take second with Bradley Smith fourth followed by Alex Martin and the only female rider, Juliette Setters.