ISLAND Games champion Tobyn Horton (pictured) is being praised for producing the best ever road-race performance by a Sarnian.
Horton, 21, placed eighth in one of Britain’s biggest races, finishing a wheel length behind British legend and three times world championship gold medallist Rob Hayles in a bunch sprint at the East Midlands Classic.
‘That has to be the best international road-race performance by a Guern ever,’ said Velo Club stalwart Allan Renyard. Ian Brown, who won Great Britain representation in his own successful amateur career, was no less admiring of Horton’s ride. ‘Absolutely superb . . . awesome,’ said Brown.
‘There were some major scalps behind him,’ he added.
‘It was a big-hitters’ race and to be eighth in that quality field doesn’t come without a lot of natural ability.’
Two hundred top international road racers took part in the 100-mile CiCLE Classic which is a full UCI rated international road race.
‘It is an internationally rated event and quite a toughie,’ reckoned Renyard.
With its long, dragging hills and fast gravel sections which would look more at home on a mountain-bike course rather than a road event, some regard the race as Great Britain’s answer to the gruelling Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
As is usual with the large international events, there were a number of early breaks down the road with riders trying to establish a gap and hoping to hold on till the end for a taste of glory.
Meanwhile Horton, who is back in Belgium and was unavailable for comment, had found his rhythm and looked comfortable in the peleton, managing to stay safe and avoiding several crashes which ended a number of riders’ races.
After all the commotion and crashes in the pack, several riders made a break and bridged the gap to the leading rider, forming a group of about seven.
Nearing the finish and coming under increasing pressure from the main peleton including Horton, the lead group was down to just four. A further two riders made a break over to the lead group and it was clear that two races were developing, one at the front between the six leading riders and one between the main bunch of around 60.
Ciaran Power eventually won the race and hoped that the result would push him into the Irish Olympic team, again a demonstration of the strength and quality of the event.
Slightly further back was the main peleton, including Horton and Hayles, part of the British Olympic team.
Ultimately, it was the vastly experienced Hayles who took the bunch sprint and seventh place overall, denying Horton one of Guernsey cycling’s biggest scalps.
Loading ...
Share this article:
What are these?