A young cyclist has achieved a remarkable second-place finish against a field of more experienced senior riders.

Wightlink CRT member Alfie Haydon, competing in his first race of the season at Newnham Park, part of the second round of the 'Soggy Bottom' MTB XC Series, secured the impressive result despite being the only junior in his category.

Alfie said: "Bearing in mind I’ve not raced since last July and I’m still recovering from a bad cold, I’m pleased with my performance and I earned some valuable National points.

"I’m looking forward to competing in more events this Season and hopefully picking up a few more podiums."

The 17-year-old faced a challenging start in a mass start race, but he soon regained focus and began to clock fast laps. Ultimately, he finished with the second fastest time overall, racing against senior expert cyclists.

Thanks were given to the event's sponsors, particularly Wightlink and Wight Mountain, as well as the event organisers.