De ste Croix's solo effort wins mountain bike race

The new format for the Second Annual Bicycle Works four hour Mountain Bike Race at Ferry Reach this past weekend proved to be a winner.

Initially the race was only open to teams of two but it was opened up this year to allow for teams of two or more as well as a new solo category for those wishing to take on the challenge.

The race started at 4pm with the first two hours being in daylight and the second two hours requiring lights in order for the competitors to make their way around the almost three-mile off-road course at Ferry Reach Park.

In the solo division it was series points leader Neil de ste Croix from the Team Fast Forward Bicycle Works taking the honours completing 14 laps of the course in 4:01:13 ahead of teammate Ian Port

This was Port’s first ever endurance event, and he made his mark with a time of 4:15:3.

Grant Goudge was in a comfortable second place, despite taking additional time during pit stops to take on extra food, drink and attach lights, until a run in with a Cactus left him with a flat tyre at a point of the course that made it slow going to reach the pit area. 

His 11 laps in 3:32:00 was good enough for him to take third place ahead of another first time endurance racer, Daryl Alexander.

Wenda Roberts completed the race with a creditable nine laps in the allotted time.

First time racers Dnarte Lima and Laurence Noble both did exceptionally well with both completing the four hours.

The early favourites, Team Madison’s Phil Trussell and Sarah Bonnett saw their chances fade following a mechanical problem with Bonnett’s bike in the early laps. 

Rounding out the top three was the team of Dexter Smith and Hans Herschi who rode a straight two hours each as opposed to the other teams who choose to alternate riders every one or two laps. 

The next event on the calendar will be race #6 in the Conrad’s point series, which takes place at Admiralty House Park on March 13, starting at 9:15am.