Nick Corlett won the End to End Mountain Bike Challenge at the fifth attempt on Sunday, having been runner-up for the last two years.

In windy and at times damp/wet conditions, multiple former winner Elliot Baxter made the early running in the Manx Telecom-sponsored event.

A front-wheel puncture in the latter stages ultimately dumped the 39-year-old multiple former winner to 15th, but by that stage had lost the lead to under-23s Corlett and Team Wiggins road team rider Nathan Draper.

The two rode most of the distance together and the finish was uncontested with Corlett crossing the line in a time of 3hr 13min 59sec, shadowed by his riding companion.

It was a similar story for third with Rockwell and Curtis also teaming up to cross the line together in joint third place, 4m 26s down.

Ross Thorley rode a good solid race to finish fifth in front of leading veteran Simon Skillicorn and Brendan Downey

The first junior rider was 16-year-old Max Walker in 29th position and the leading female Kirree Quayle in 65th place overall with a time of 4:14.06.

She was eight minutes in front of Emma Atkinson in 80th, with Michelle Meakin 111th in 4:42.31 and Emily Looker a close fourth.

A total of 438 riders completed the 45-mile course, with 97 either retiring or failing to meet the time cut-offs at Brandywell Cottage, St John’s or Eairy Cushlin.

Fuller reports, results and pictures in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner and Thursday’s Manx Independent.