CAESAREAN cyclists will be hoping to pedal for gold in Orkney, competing in the road and mountain biking events at the 2025 Island Games next week. Jack Rebours, Tom Huelin, Sam Nisbet and Ollie Cadin will take to the road, while James Dilks, Jay Cracknell, Liam Cadoret, Ben Richards and Jacob Mauger battle it out in the mountain biking competitions. Led by team manager Andrew Hamon, hopes are high for a successful visit.“We have a great squad here,” said Hamon, “I’ve known them all for a long time and seen them develop, so it’s nice to see them represent Jersey.” “Everyone gets on incredibly well. It’s quite a close-knit team as cycling is a great sport for camaraderie.” “I hope, above everything, that they do the best they can. This is a talented group of riders, and we don’t usually return without medals, so here’s hoping we have success in Orkney.”First off will be the road team, who will compete on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week. The Time Trial will consist of a there-and-back route along the West Mainland’s east coast, with suggested distances of 35km for the Women and 45km in the Open category. Wednesday’s Road Race will be fought out on a circular route around Orkney’s West Mainland, over suggested distances of 80km for Women and 99km for the Open group. Action will conclude with the Criterium, which runs through Orkney’s largest town, Kirkwall. Precise details will be provided in due course, but suggested distances indicate 30-40 minutes + five laps in the Women’s field and 45-60 minutes + five laps for the Open competitors. Despite the road cycling team’s youth, team captain Rebours is confident in his squad.“It’s the youngest team I’ve been a part of on the road overall, but there’s a lot of experience here,” said the captain. “Our strength is definitely our versatility as a squad, as our strengths vary individually. We have a lot of options, so if we play it right tactically, we should have a few cards to play.“I believe this puts us in a strong position for success. They should be confident going in, as the group are very talented riders.” The team boasts athletes who all compete at high levels around the globe. Huelin has been racing for CC Plancoët, with great results in numerous elite races on the French circuit. Nisbet has shone bright in the UK national level and Cadin has proved himself more than capable in America, competing for the University of Florida. Although he was confident in his team’s talent, Rebours knows all too well that there are some things beyond their control, adding: “One of the best things about cycling, I think, is that ultimately you can say what you want beforehand, but what really matters is how you do on the day. “We’ll be going in as a confident team, but the Island Games is quite a difficult one, because you can have some exceptionally strong riders turn up. “We’ve had fully fledged professional riders turn up in the past for islands like Menorca and Saaremaa, even the Estonian national champion appeared, so you really don’t know the field’s depth until you get there. “The time trial is normally good to gauge the competition’s standard, and from there it’s about making a plan that plays to our strengths.” Orkney 2025 marks Rebours’ first stint as team captain in his fifth Island Games appearance. He continued: “It’s really nice to be given the captaincy, but I’m confident that all the guys will be alright as they’re experienced riders, so I’ll be on hand to support wherever I’m needed.” All the while, Jersey’s mountain bikers, led by team captain Dilks, will be eager to return strong after taking home gold in the Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country Team event at the last Games in Guernsey 2023. The team will have a fresh look, however, as only Dilks and Cadoret have competed in previous games. But, Dilks believes his squad boasts some “exceptional ability”, explaining: “It’s a fairly fresh team, but we’ve all been riding and racing together away for a while, so everyone’s familiar with each other. “We’ve been riding in the British National Cross-Country Series, with Jay [Cracknell] and I competing in the Elite category, Cadoret and Richards in the Expert field and Mauger is still in the Juniors, at 17. “This year, I’ve had a bit of bad luck in competition with a few punctures and some illness, but I’ve still managed to consistently place in the top 15. Jay [Cracknell] has had a good year, consistently in the top 15 with a couple of top-10 finishes. “Liam’s [Cadoret] done really well in the Expert field, placing second overall in the series as well as actually winning one of the rounds.” “Ben [Mauger] has also worked his way up to top 10 finishes as well, so, on a whole, I believe this squad is very promising.” Tuesday and Thursday next week will see mountain bikers compete for supremacy, beginning with the Short Track. Held just outside Kirkwall at the Market Stance, the short, fast track has been designed to test the best. Thursday will then play host to the Cross Country event, which will take place on a new course at Binscarth Farm, showcasing the best of Orkney’s countryside with steep climbs, open fields and dense woodland. “Ultimately, it’s all about working together and riding selflessly, adapting to situations as they unfold, as there’s a lot that’s not in your control,” Dilks continued. “We have a game plan, depending on who’s there and the course conditions, which plays to our team’s strengths. Everyone on that start line has their own agendas, so we’ll do our best to control the situation and play it into our hands the best we can.” Team chemistry is only boosted by training together frequently, with all, bar Mauger, under the tutelage of the same coach. This only further puts everyone “on the same page”. Unity between the groups is without question, as both captains have expressed their support for each other. Jersey’s cycling squad would like to thank their sponsor, Jersey Electricity, for their support for Orkney 2025.