Sarnian sweep of the Zwift podium

Ahead of resuming live competition this weekend, the Velo Club got the wheels turning with a pre-season Zwift race, which rapidly gained momentum as Isle of Man riders jumped on the opportunity to compete during their third lockdown.

But the hosts reigned supreme as Seb Tremlett, Marc Cox and James Roe topped the 50-rider field.

Over seven laps of the 5.5-mile Innsbruckring, Tremlett and Cox used the signature hill – the aptly-named ‘Leg Snapper’ – for an early breakaway.

The two time-trial stars maintained a fierce pace but Tremlett edged his improving teammate on the sprint, both sharing the same 1hr 22min. 5sec. clocking.

Roe subsequently won his own sprint, against Isle of Man’s Corrin Leeming, 2min. 35sec. later.

Second-season road racers Adam Torode and Simon Baker also finished before the arrival of the first Jerseyman, Commonwealth Games man Rhys Hidrio.

Add in Matt Osborn notching a sixth top-10 finish for the hosts and you can see why Mark Smith was one proud GVC president.

‘It makes me feel really proud with how everybody has adapted training over the last month or so,’ Smith said.

‘They have obviously been keeping in form.’

Smith had finished sixth in a Category B outing where two Manx cyclists prevailed, followed by Bermuda-based Guernsey Island Games rider Jamie-Lee Wright riding a committed race for first woman and Alex Margison taking the domestic veterans’ bragging rights.

All told, Isle of Man representatives accounted for a third of the field.

That level of overseas interest is something that Smith will hope to capitalise on in the near future.

‘It’s amazing and I am super happy with that – the feedback that we have had from local and Isle of Man riders is that they really enjoyed it and really appreciated being able to race, albeit virtually, against people they have not raced before,’ he added.

Ahead of a series of adapted time-trials this weekend, GVC are already considering a mid-week Zwift criterium.