This, coming just after Pippa Inderwick and Andrea Nightingale got the wheels spinning with a team silver, showed that Guernsey’s much-changed cycling team have what it takes to contend at these Island Games.
The course – 35km for women and 45km for men – started in Finstown and followed the scenic, largely tree-less coastal roads out to the north-west of Orkney’s mainland.
Although the temperatures had cooled from the weekend, cyclists did have to contend with elevated winds on a rather exposed course.
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Touzeau, who took individual bronze and was in fact just 10sec. off a silver, was quick to highlight the challenge that presented.
‘The time-trial course was long at 28 miles and pretty challenging due to the exposed course and fact the wind had picked up over night,’ he said.
‘I spoke with my coach about a pacing strategy for the TT, which I felt like I executed well and managed to hold on into the tough head and cross-wind sections towards the end.
‘The atmosphere was really good with lots of Guernsey supporters, including my wife and three girls. It gave me so much motivation.
‘I think there was a bit of doubt six months ago that the men’s and women’s team would be able to be at the same level as previous Games, but all the men and women have trained super hard and went well today, which shows with my bronze and the ladies’ team silver.’
The women were first up and the UK-based Inderwick managed a very respectable fifth in 58min. 2sec.
On top of the remarkable effort of veteran-60 cyclist Nightingale, who had started earlier and clocked 58-49 for eighth, that secured the Sarnians silver in a small team competition contested by four islands.
There were no doubts over who would take the glory overall. Gibraltar’s Olivia Lett put down the leading individual time of 55-29 and, with impressive backup from her allies in third and fourth, they dominated the team competition.
Then came the men. Having previously gone to Bermuda 2013 before seemingly retiring, Touzeau looked to be Guernsey’s main threat.
Setting off fifth, the resurgent rider threw down a swift marker of 1-00-13 – then played the waiting game.
The Isle of Man’s Tyler Hannay ultimately dominated in 57-17, and Gibraltar’s Colin Tester went all of 10sec. quicker than the Guernseyman, but otherwise he could not be topped.
In a team of Games newcomers, veteran Alex Margison proved Guernsey’s next-best rider after finishing 22nd overall in 1-06-40.
James Marshall placed 37th in 1-10-15, with Nathaniel Jones another position and 16sec. behind.
Youngster Ollie Duguid completed the team effort with 1-12-33 for 44th.
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