McLaughlin pipped by less than the length of a wheel

Wednesday 29th June 2011, 2:22PM BST.

James McLaughlin, left, was pipped by less than a wheel by Saaremaa’s Endrik Puntso. (1152493)

AFTER 120km of hard slog, the gold medal in yesterday’s men’s road race was decided by less than the width of the front wheel of James McLaughlin’s bike.

Unfortunately for him and Guernsey, the 20-year-old was pipped by Saaremaa’s Endrik Puntso in a quite thrilling finish to an exciting race in which the Sarnians also won the team silver.

McLaughlin was mightily unlucky having ridden a near-perfect race having received no external support in his quest for glory, bar the superb efforts of teammate Tobyn Horton.

With the front pack always containing pairs of riders from various islands, including the Isle of Man, McLaughlin was up against it trying to force the issue throughout the five-lap distance.