From deflation to elation

ROB SMART showed all his strength as he was crowned Southern Mountain Bike Cross-Country masters champion.

On a day when Guernsey riders suffered mixed fortunes in Berkshire, Smart's gamble paid off as he overcame a deflating tyre to emerge victorious in his race.

He was one of nine LCF Rothschild Team Guernsey mountain bikers who travelled to round two of the Southern Mountain Bike Series, which coincided with the Southern Championship.

The course at Wasing Estate near Aldermaston had a mix of short sharp climbs linked by a twisty single track resulting in a great all-rounder's course.

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