Olivia Lett takes fourth in criterium as Gibraltar cyclists wrap up Island Games

The final push for Team Gibraltar’s cyclists in the Island Games Orkney was the town criterium, where Olivia Lett finished 4th in the women’s race and her husband Mark 9th in the men’s.

The women’s race took place first and it was clear from all those watching Olivia was lead and setting the pace of the race, hills and sharp turns all taken in their stride.

However, it was the last few hundred meters where it went wrong as she clipped a barrier in the final sprint for the finish line, resulting in her losing her position and falling back into 4th place.

“I felt okay most of the race. It was just the last couple of laps, because of the way the race goes. Its laps. It's a bit like, a bit boring, a bit repetitive,” she said.

“The Faroe Islands girl, I think, is a bit stronger than us, but she was just waiting for the last lap, just to attack us,.”

“And that's what she did. She waited. She tried to do it on the second last lap, but she couldn't.”

“And then on the last lap, she just went for it on the hill and managed to stay away. We were catching her up.”

“Then it's the technical part downhill, which is hard to catch up. And I just clipped one of the fences on my way down with my shoulder, and I just lost them.”

“I was surprised I didn’t somersault and come off to be honest.”

“It's not the way I wanted to end the week, but I think I've done well anyway.”

“Like Bern [Nicola Valarino’s husband] said that without me, there wouldn't have been a race, which I don't think there would have. I think it was a bit slow at the front, the girl from the Faroe Islands wasn't closing any of the gaps. It was always me but it is what it is.”

She plans on taking a break from competing and enjoy watching her daughter Grace, who turned 14 months during the week, grow up. The next big event might be as far away as Island Games on the Isle of Man, it’s too early to decide. But for now she will continue to ride for fun.

Olivia earned three medals this Island Games, two goal in the time trial and one bronze in the road race.

Also, in the town criterium was fellow medallist, both gold and bronze, Nicola Valarino who took 5th place in the race.

Nicola said she enjoyed the race and when she lost the lead pack she just decided to ride her own race, avoid getting lapped and do “her own thing.”

“I got more confident into the turns and stuff. So it was more about my fitness and sustaining more or less an hour bike.”

Against what most people would think Nicola actually enjoys hills.

“I really like the hill. The hill helped me gain a little bit and ensure that I wasn't lapped, although I was literally lapped at the last like home stretch, when they were sprinting for the finish line,” she said.

“I'm proud of what I've done. Crit racing is not my thing. So it was good fun. I actually really enjoyed it.”

The crowds for town criterium line the whole circuit, making it different to both time trial or the road race. Nicola said they kept her going, she was hearing her name and the praise she was getting and feeling that positivity.

With no firm plans as yet as to what is next she suspects it will be a few hill time trials in her local area in the UK and she may return to the Island Games in Faroe in 2027.

Men’s race.

Lining up at the start line for Team Gibraltar was Mark Lett, Colin Tester, Derek Barbara, James Valarino and Samuel O’Shea.

Mark, came 9th in the race and gave the Chronicle an assessment it.

“I managed to get into the break away and then it was a bit comfortable once we were on the front,” he said.

“And then it was a matter of just trying to close down loads of attacks from other teams. Jersey, I think, had all five in there, so they were just attacking each other, trying to get one into the break.”

“I kept closing it down. Then another lad from Isle of Man is closing it down. So in the end, I think we managed to get through a group of about 15 riders, or 12 riders, and then I've managed to top 10 finish, which I'm happy with.”

Mark, and the other four, competed against cyclists from islands such as the Isle of Man who are on a professional level as a result he said it was “quite proud on an individual aspect, and as a team we have worked brilliant together.”

Colin came in 17th, James right behind him in 18th, Samuel in 22nd and Derek the veteran rider 24th.

“As a team, in a time criterium, you've got to work together for one of your lads to break away, they've got to sort of slow down the pace, sort of block lads. It becomes a very tactical sport in itself, which they did brilliantly and allowed me to get into that top 15,” he said.

The course took out some riders with Mark at one point having to hop over someone whose tyre came off.

Mark had been leading the race on numerous laps, he explained what happened at the end.

“I wanted to get into the last hill first, so I could basically blast it up it. And then once I knew my strength was the inside town area, the sort of zigzag, because I was able to drop a lot of lads in that area,” he said.

“So, I was trying to get into that area first. But on the very top of the hill, five bikes managed to get by me, and then it was game over.”

He believes that some inspiration came from his wife as he flew around the laps. Having left his glasses at home he borrowed Olivia’s.

“She lent me her pink sunglasses which I can't say look the best on me, but I think they gave me the inspiration to get into a top 10 finish,” he said.

Mark now plans to take some time out and with Olivia and Grace spend some family time, have a break and decide what comes next for the Lett family.