Academy Talents Shine Bright at National MTB with Stellar Top-10 Results

The highly anticipated return of the British Cycling National Cross-Country (XC) series to Pippingford Park (Sussex) took place last weekend , where seven riders from the Guernsey Velo Club competed in this exciting event

The venue not used since 2010 is a challenging venue known for its testing terrain. The 5km course was a true test for riders, featuring an array of obstacles including steep drop offs, fast technical downhill sections, gruelling wooded climbs, fast fire roads and a significant amount of single track making it a demanding race for all the riders.

Saturdays racing would see 4 Guernsey riders competing in the fast and relentless short Track XCC event and also the XCO Maters Class. Gridded 17^th, Youth rider Zach Smith would have it all to do on the fast 1.3km short course. Also debuting in the short course event were Utmost and Ian Browns academy riders Holly and Amy Smith, gridded 10^th and 12^th respectively.

Zach set off in his usual explosive style, catching the leading pack by the end of lap one. He remained with the group swapping places, until Wilfred Pugh split the pack with two fast laps. That early sprint took its toll, forcing Zach to drop back, but he still secured a highly creditable 4th place.

Taking on their first National event, Holly and Amy lined up against the country’s top youth girls, including “Specialised” rider Olivia Poole. Despite being slightly off the pace and a mid-race mechanical for Holly, the girls secured an impressive 11th/12th place finish, marking a brilliant debut effort. Gridded in second for the Short Course Masters Open, Mark Smith recorded a 3.29 opening lap. Despite trailing Sigma Sports competitor David Mitchinson by approximately 30 seconds per lap, Smith maintained his pace to finish in 2nd place, just ahead of Ross Duffield.

Although facing an early morning start, Mark Smith gamely lined in the afternoon for the highly competitive Masters 50 Open race. Starting ear the back of the pack, (gridded 50th out of 53 riders) he certainly had his work cut out in a field dominated by top riders, Marc Chamberlain and Nick Craig. Despite making a strong showing in the 5 lap event, Mark couldn't quite maintain the blistering pace set by the front-runners. Nevertheless, he dug deep and fought his way up the grid, to secure a very respectable 40th-place finish.

Sunday’s XC races featured six GVC riders, highlighted by impressive juvenile class debuts for the Utmost and Ian Brown’s Academy riders Freddie Martel and Luka Robilliard. Despite being gridded near the back of the pack, Freddie in 29^th and Luka in 24^th, the pair showcased remarkable speed to charge through the competitive field, sitting in 8/9 place in 11.33/11.34 after lap one. The remaining two laps would see them both making further progress through the pack with Freddie finishing in 7^th and Luka in 8^th place ( separated by just one second). A tremendous effort by them both in their first National MTB event.

Next up was Zach Smith in the Youth class, who was looking to build on his 4^th place, gained in previous days short track. Having missed round 3 of the series due to GCSE’s, Zach found himself gridded in 10^th/40. Lap 1 would see Zach climb up to 7^th place, however the next 3 laps for Zach would see him moving back slightly to finish in 10^th place. Zach commented after the race that “The margins are extremely tight this in this category, the head was willing, but I didn’t have the race pace today, but would be back fighting for round 5 in Margam Park”.

Holly and Amy approached the Youth girls race brimming with confidence from their short track event. Despite starting at the back of the pack, both riders made excellent starts, positioning themselves perfectly for the downhill section. They maintained a strong pace throughout the race, displaying remarkable endurance and grit. Although they finished some distance behind the front-runners, both athletes can be incredibly proud of their impressive performance and relentless determination on the course, eventually finishing in 20^th/21^st places respectively.

Mark Le Page faced sweltering conditions in the final expert-class race of the day. Starting 10th on the grid, he posted impressively consistent times across the 6-lap event. Unfortunately, a miscalculation led him to empty his tank by lap 5, causing an energy deficit that dropped him to 12^th overall.

The fourth round of the British Cycling National MTB series at Pippingford was another tough event that tested the limits of all the riders. The GVC academy riders demonstrated their talent and resilience, representing the Guernsey Velo Club admirably.

Club representative Rod Smith noted that It was a great event, and it was inspiring to see five new Guernsey riders competing alongside some of the best cyclists in the UK. The experience gained from this race will undoubtedly contribute to their future performances in the series and invaluable preparation for the inter insular against Jersey being held at L’Ancresse on the 28^th June – Starting at 10am – Senior race 12pm.

Written By Roon Smith