Riders glad to be back in the sunshine
THE morning sun shone down on the mountain-bikers embracing the sport’s quick return from lockdown 2.0 yesterday.
And while winner Andy Colver gave his own glimmers of promise in the adapted time-trial event at La Pomare, he was not the only one enjoying the return to competition in surprisingly pleasant conditions.
Stormy seas had caused the cancellation of Saturday and yesterday’s road time-trials, which meant that showjumping pipped cycling to hold the first sporting event of lockdown exit stage two.
But at La Pomare – the popular inland venue in St Peter’s – conditions proved much more favourable.
Aside from a modest breeze, going was relatively smooth over the 1.5km cross-country lap, on which each rider completed two timed efforts.
Colver lined up a clear favourite given the absences of fellow Commonwealth Games riders Mike Serafin and James Roe, producing the fastest opener of 5min. 7.9sec.
He improved that to 5-07.3 next time around in what he termed a ‘quite nice’ return to competition.
‘It feels like deja vu – this was one of the first events [post-lockdown] last year as well,’ Colver said.
‘I’ve had the time through lockdown to put the hours in on the bike and not everyone’s here today, but I’m quite excited for proper racing to kick off in groups to see where I’m at.’
Runner-up went to top downhill specialist John Mapley, who posted 5-20.5 and 5-23.6.
Young Alex Van Katwyk completed the podium with a strong sub-5-30 second run, relegating Jamie Rive to fourth.
Pete Miller won the veterans’ honours and multi-sporter Nor Holden was the first – and only – female finisher with her 6-39.4 opening run.
‘It’s amazing to feel that adrenaline again,’ cyclist, footballer and motocross rider Holden said.
‘Computers are always good, but you don’t have the social side of it and everybody encouraging everybody and having fun, which is the main thing.’
The computers had taken centre stage on Saturday with a virtual replacement to the planned road season opener – Newbury Velo’s 10.9 mile ‘TT’ on Zwift.
Marc Cox continued his impressive improvement ramp to win outright in 22-07, upsetting domestic ace Seb Tremlett by some 55sec. Triathlete Bob Guilbert took the third Guernsey spot in 23-07.
Among the women, the Bermuda-based Jamie-Lee Wright’s 25-04 made her the top Sarnian representative from Danielle Hanley, who finished 2-16 behind.
