Greg Mansell & Harriet Owen win in Jersey Criterium

27 August 2012

Greg Mansell narrowly won the Jersey Criterium on home soil in a thrilling finish.

The Island Games rider beat off the challenge from Team Zappi riders Jack Adams (second) and Chris Boote (third) in a sprint to the line.

The women's elite race around the streets of St Helier also had a close finish, with Harriet Owen, 18, from Oxford, coming home first.

"I wasn't feeling very good today so it was nice to get the win," she said.

"It took me a few laps to get into it and get used to the speed bumps but after a while it was a really good circuit.

"I just tried to sit near the front but not do too much work so then I wasn't tired towards the end."

Meanwhile, Mansell was quick to praise team-mate Richard Tanguy for his help.

"We got in a nice small group to start with and I had two guys in there so we could work hard," Mansell told BBC Radio Jersey.

"I think we all knew it was going to be a sprint.

"A massive thank you to Richard Tanguy. He did a huge job for me, I mean he was on the front for two or three laps.

"The race had kind of stalled, everyone wanted to mark me for the sprint, so he just went on the front and nailed it."

Men's elite race

1. Greg Mansell (UK Youth)

2. Jack Adams (Team Zappi)

3. Chris Boote (Team Zappi)

1. Harriet Owen (Node4 Giordana)

2. Ann Bowditch (Guernsey Velo)

3. Julie Granshaw (WyndyMilla)