Carling comes within inches of lapping entire elite field
ROB SMART'S ill health gave Jimmy Carling the chance to shine in round two of the Guernsey Velo Club Arrowsmith Marlowe/Ian Brown's Cycle Shop mountain bike summer series, and the youngster did not waste the opportunity.
ROB SMART'S ill health gave Jimmy Carling the chance to shine in round two of the Guernsey Velo Club Arrowsmith Marlowe/Ian Brown's Cycle Shop mountain bike summer series, and the youngster did not waste the opportunity. On a new course on the slopes of Le Camptrehard in St Andrew's, Carling romped to a big win in the elite class.
The starting grid was full of the best of local mountain biking, with the exception of Smart.
The first lap was hectic with Tom Sherwill and Carling pulling clear of the chasing Tobyn Horton, with a group of Chris Le Page, Nick Mann, Andy Colver and Stuart Le Tissier tucked in just behind.
The leading pair extended their lead on the next two laps until Sherwill dropped off the pace, later to retire, leaving Carling alone out front.
By mid-race distance Carling was lapping his fellow competitors and moving into a huge lead. Horton was safe in second with Mann third, Colver fourth and Le Tissier fifth.
As the bell went for the last lap, Carling was cruising and in a sprint for the line only a inch stopped him from lapping runner-up Horton.
Mann finished in third, one lap down on the victor, while Le Tissier paced his race well to pass Colver and take fourth spot.
In the advanced race, Mike Serafin and James Roe were soon moving through the elite backmarkers and eventually onto Mann's wheel where they stayed for most of their 12 laps, at which point Roe latched onto Carling's wheel as he lapped the field.
Serafin could not respond and later withdrew with one lap to go.
Roe looked comfortable on Carling's wheel and even had enough energy for a sprint at the finish. His winning time of 1-05.49 took him clear of John Mapley in second in 1-09.59.
The sports and under-16s raced over six laps.
Early pacesetter Jack Sunderland was looking good for victory until, with one lap to go, he snapped his chain.
Determined not to be beaten, Sunderland continued and was passed by Dan Owen only on the final lap.
The under-14s raced over four laps, Nathan Baudains taking the class honours in 26.16, comfortably beating Gary Robert into second.
The under-12s produced a sprint finish between Robert Paul and Alex Wilson which the former narrowly edged.
