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Gibraltar cyclists complete challenging 99km Island Games race

Photos by Johnny Bugeja

Team Gibraltar’s five male cyclists took on a 99km course on Wednesday afternoon with team manager Mark Lett crossing the finish line in a time of 2:19:46, taking 11th place.

Following behind him was Colin Tester in 14th place in a time of 2:24:36. James Valarino in 17th place with a time of 2:24:38.
Derek Barbara in 26th place in a time of 2:25:47 and Samuel O’Shea in 30th in a time of 2:25:51.

Speaking shortly after crossing the finish line Mark briefed the Chronicle on his race.

“I managed to get into the breakaway. Stayed with the breakaway for the last four laps, and then on the last climb, they managed to break me and I went into a little second group,” he said.

“I started catching them up, but we couldn't close the gap, so I finished on the second group.”

He said the pace of the race itself wasn't too intense.

“It was just always on the little crest on the climbs where they out-pointed me. I just couldn't put the watts down the same as them,” he said.

“They're not struggling with me, but I managed to hold the wheels.”

This all said, he noted he enjoyed the race but gotcramps around the 50km mark, but someone introduced him to “this liquid potion that's called ‘no cramps’, and I can confirm it works.”

He said the team performed brilliantly.

“They managed to sort of work together to allow me to get into the break. They also helped the rest of guys back, and then they worked as a team break the second group,” he said.

Next up is some time with the physios before the town criterium race on Friday.

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