Although he has stepped back from top-level cycling, and is soon to become a veteran, the former Commonwealth Games man took the win 4sec. clear of Mark Le Page at Le Guet in round two of this year’s Ian Brown’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country Series.
In-form Le Page looked to be the fitter rider, but right in the final lap of a race featuring an early tumble, he had another mild crash and his chain came off – flipping what was around a 4sec. lead at that point.
Roe admitted to thinking, ‘I’m done’, before that fateful mishap but in any case was pleased with the performance he had put in.
‘I was well happy,’ he said.
‘If I’d finished second, I’d have been just as happy.
‘It’s just the performance I was happy with.
‘You can control your performance. You can’t control how quickly everyone else goes.’
On a very slippery course, which ran differently to the norm following storm-inflicted damage to the pine trees, the lead duo faced early challenges from teenagers Zach Smith and Charlie Tourtel, who finished third and fourth as the only riders to avoid a lapping.
Orkney 2025 Island Games debutant Le Page had gapped his rivals on the second of an eventual 13 circuits only to be pulled in by a surge from Roe nearing the halfway mark. That surge shook off Smith following Tourtel losing touch on lap three.
Roe sat on Le Page, slipping behind when his rival went for the final-lap surge – but fate had other ideas.
‘Le Guet is my home race,’ Roe added in explaining why this victory was so significant for him.
‘I’ve lived near there for nearly 40 years.
‘I always try a bit harder at Le Guet. Sam [Culverwell] beat me in 2019 and that was the last time I haven’t won there.’
The duelling top two riders finished nearly 3min. clear of British Cycling National School of Racing talent Smith.
Another recent Island Games competitor, Peter Sargent finished ninth overall but more significantly took the veteran honours ahead of top over-50 Mark Smith.
Guernsey 2023 rider Jamy Petit-Fulgoni backed up her women’s victory from the series opener at the motocross track.
However, she was given a much-improved challenge by former Games cyclist Frankie Middleton, who finished within 21sec. after the nine laps raced.
Nor Holden completed the women’s top three.
Holly Smith placed fourth female rider, together with topping the U16 girls, with Freddie Martel edging the U14 boys’ honours in a very competitive race against Luka Robilliard.
U12 Hugo Johnson and U10 Ethan Shorto dominated their respective categories in the shorter opening race for younger juniors.
U14 Darcey Meza, U12 Eleanor Piercey and U10 Orla Pipet won the equivalent girls’ groups.
