Tobyn Horton: Guernsey cyclist to miss 2017 Island Games in Gotland

Tobyn Horton had not lost a town criterium race at the Island Games since 2005

Guernsey's top cyclist Tobyn Horton is to miss the 2017 Island Games.

The professional, who rides for the UK-based Madison Genesis team, will miss a second successive games after illness forced him out of Jersey 2015.

Horton won criterium and road race gold at the 2013 Island Games in Bermuda.

"Next year there will be proper up and coming talent and it will give them an opportunity to step up and experience the Island Games, which is a step onto the Commonwealth Games," he said.

"I've had several team-mates by my side and it will give those guys that have been with me when I won gold in Bermuda their chance to step up and become team leaders themselves, and get their own opportunities to go out and win medals," he told BBC Radio Guernsey.

Horton's Island Games medals

• 2007: Wins first gold medal in town criterium.

• 2011: Retains criterium title and gets team silver medals in the road race, time trial and criterium.

• 2013: Adds third criterium gold, wins road race and takes team road race gold. Also wins team time trial silver.

The 2017 event in Gotland also coincides with the British Road Racing Championships.

"It was another thing to factor in as it would have been quite difficult getting there and it may have been I wouldn't have been able to travel with the team," added Horton.

"But I always have and always will love representing Guernsey and I'm 100% sure that it won't be my last Island Games.

"We've also got the Commonwealth Games to look forward to in 2018 and I'm hoping to pull a Guernsey kit on for that, so it's not over and out for me, that's for sure."

Horton is the latest high-profile Channel Island sportsperson to opt out of Gotland 2017 after Jersey international archer Lucy O'Sullivan and professional tennis player Scott Clayton.