ONE bad event and it was all over for Ben Walden in the 2008 Tour of Guernsey.
The 25-year-old had taken top spot in the senior class of the week-long series after getting the better of the leader, John Mapley, in the fourth event, the criterium.
But a dreadful showing in the next race on the motocross track, which saw him finish 11th, was enough to hand Mapley overall victory on Sunday despite Walden winning the remaining two events – the epilogue and the long cross-country, both at Chouet.
Walden was philosophical about missing out on the title. ‘I’m a little bit gutted but that’s part of racing,’ he said. ‘I can’t dwell on it too much. I finished all right.’
In the fifth crucial race, James Mapley (pictured) took the honours ahead of his brother, John, in second while Gary Robert was third.
Walden explained what happened in his race that saw him finish outside the top 10.
Up to that point in the series he had finished in the top seven in every event.
‘It all went wrong on the second corner,’ he said.
‘I was going down the dip with Matt Osborn, we rubbed elbows and that held us up a little bit. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time to get to the boys at the front and I ran out of track.’
With Walden and John Mapley coming one-two in the epilogue the next day, everything rested on the final event – the long cross-country.
Walden as a cross-country specialist had been looking forward to the race and subsequently took first.
However, for Mapley to claim the title he was required to come home in the top six.
He comfortably finished second.
Walden was quick to praise his 20-year-old rival.
‘He rode out of his skin all week,’ he said.
Mapley was surprised by his success.
‘It was really close all week, he said.
‘The [leader’s] jersey seemed to be changing hands pretty much every day. I was not expecting to do as well as I did.
‘The best [mountain-bike discipline] I have been doing is downhill and in the tour I was looking forward to that. I won my group and came second to Ant Renouf overall – he is another downhill specialist.
‘I used to train for the others like the cross-country, but then took it easy on those for a while.
‘I have started to get back into it now, though, and seeing as I did well last week, I will keep it going.’
In the other classes, Alister Martin was the top novice, Dean Machon the best veteran and Frankie Middleton won the women’s class.
Alex Falla claimed the under-16s’ category while William Falla took the honours in the U-14s.
Article posted on 16th July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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