Le Page & Smith impress at first round of BC National Mountain Bike Series
The first round of the British Cycling National Mountain Bike (MTB) series took place at Newnham Park, where two riders from the Guernsey Velo Club competed in this exciting event, British Cycling talent Zach Smith and Guernsey Island Games rider Mark Le Page. The venue, which has not been used in the series for some time is famous for hosting World Cup rounds in the 1990’s. This historic XC venue is also known for its challenging and classic terrain, including long draggy hills, technical A lines and a significant amount of rooted single tracks. The 6.4km course would certainly test the riders stamina, making it a demanding race for all participants.
Utmost and Ian Brown’s Academy rider Zach Smith aimed to make a strong impression early in the weekend but faced disappointment during Saturday’s XCC short track event when another rider took him out at the start, damaging his wheel and tyre.
On Sunday, Smith competed in the fiercely contested Youth category. Starting from the third position out of fifty riders, he made an explosive start, quickly positioning himself behind RR23’s Ben Whitehouse as they approached the first climb. After the first lap, top Scottish Pentland Racer, Zach Buchan and Cyclocross youth National Series Champion Wilfred Pugh had pulled ahead, along with Smith, creating a gap of about seventeen seconds on the field. As the race progressed, Buchan built a slight lead that expanded to thirty seconds over the next two laps, ultimately securing the win. Meanwhile, Smith and Pugh engaged in an intense battle for second place for the remainder of the race. On the fourth and final lap, Smith encountered some Juvenile traffic, which hindered his momentum, allowing Pugh to claim second by eight seconds. Nevertheless, Smith’s strong performance secured him the final spot on the podium, marking yet another commendable effort from the Guernsey rider.
Mark Le Page took to the track in the converted Experts class, starting from tenth position among twenty four elite riders. He had a strong start, quickly moving up to fifth place behind top competitor and Youtuber Giorgio Coppola after the first lap. Over the next three laps, Le Page found himself in a tight battle among a group of four riders vying for sixth place. His final lap, clocked at 16 minutes and 18 seconds, propelled him to an impressive eigth overall after a thrilling sprint finish. A very strong performance from Mark, who will be definitely one to watch as the series progresses.
The Next event for Zach will see him riding in full team GB colours in the first 3 Nations Cup being held in Oldenzaal, Holland on the 5th April 2026.
Written by Roon Smith
