Andy Colver leads the pack in yesterday’s opening race of the Cycleworld Mountain Bike Tour of Guernsey. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 1157661)

NINE days earlier they had been belting about the rough tracks in the picturesque centre of the Isle of Wight, mind focused on one thing only: claiming Island Games medals.

Yesterday, in altogether different surroundings, but no less easy on the eye just to the east of the Reservoir, most of Guernsey’s top mountain bikers were back on the start line for the opening day of the week-long Tour of Guernsey.

Only this was lower key and while they were present in body to varying degrees they were not wholly in competitive mind.

Rob Smart, king of the MTBs in the Isle of Wight, was happy to settle for second place behind Andy Colver, in one of the few appearances the former expects to put in over the varying terrain and disciplines of this week.

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