Tester takes silver as Gibraltar men’s cycling team earn bronze

Team Gibraltar scooped a silver and bronze medal in men cycling with Colin Tester taking silver in the individual men’s time trial cycling event and the team taking bronze, on Monday.

However, it was not smooth sailing for the medallist with the windy conditions on the course.

As soon as Colin got off his bike he started to cramp up.

“So that just shows I pushed my limits, which is what I really wanted to do coming here this year, coming off Guernsey, so yeah, I feel like I put in the right effort,” he said.

His top speed was estimated to hit the 70km per hour mark and completed the course in 1:00:03.9.

He transitioned from rowing about four years ago and had not until this event managed to get podium.

“I am over the moon,” he said.

“It's been a lot of years of hard work, a lot of kilometres, a lot of hours on the bike.”

“Family suffers. Everyone suffers. So it is really good to take home a silver to a family.”

Next up for Colin is the 99km road race on Wednesday and the town criterium on Friday.

After taking silver on Monday, Colin now knocks Mark Lett, team manager and fellow cyclist, off the spot of fastest on two wheels on the team.

However, Mark was happy to relinquish the title.

“I am proud of Colin, who managed to get the individual medal, came second in an outrageous time of an hour, beating me by a minute 30, which has never happened before. I've always been the top rider on the team, and I'm proud to give it up to him,” he said.

Mark came 4th in a time of 1:01:36.4 while James Valarino came 9th in a time of 1:02:35.3, next was Derek Barbara who came in 20th in a time of 1:05:40.7 and the fifth team member was Samuel O’Shea who came in 25th in a time of 1:07:13.7

Focusing on the team, where Colin got his second medal, Mark had praise for them and the various benefits each one brings. For example, with Derek Barbara being the team veteran at the age of 48 he is someone “that we look up to”.

“I'm super proud that everybody's put the hard work in, and we've managed to make the bronze medal,” he said.

As team manager, he sometimes he has to keep swopping hats, as a cyclist and team manager. Meaning he has also got a lot of work behind the scenes, getting the things ready for the team, but also needs to focus as a cyclist.

“Everybody else helps out,” Mark said.

“We're a team of five and Colin, he's had a few rough patches in the last two years. He's really focused on his training. He's come back from some injuries as well, and to get a second place in this field, let's say of some pro riders is amazing.”