CYCLING hero Mark Cavendish's seventh place in the Commonwealth Games road race was "like losing on penalties".

That was how team coach Mike Doyle described yesterday's effort by the Manx team.

The odds had been stacked against the Isle of Man team of Mark Cavendish, Andrew Roche, Graham Hatcher, Mark Christian, Tom Black and Chris Whorrall but they had hoped to overcome the cycling might of the Australians, New Zealanders and the South Africans to get their star man in position to lift the gold medal.

As the world's undisputed fastest sprint finisher Cav and his team wanted the race to end in a bunch sprint.

However every other squad wanted to avoid a sprint for the medals.

So began a 100 mile epic that saw the balance of power move around and the outcome remain in the balance right up until the closing half lap.

The plan was to keep the pace high and to keep the race together.  Each of the Manx lads had their instructions and - with the temperature topping 40c at the 1pm start - set about a long hot day in the saddle.

It wasn't long before Graham Hatcher found himself at the front and riding hard.

He put in an amazing effort for five laps - taking turns at the front with the triple Delhi gold medallist, Cameron Meyer of Australia, chasing down a group including three New Zealand riders.

He said: "I moved up the field in the first lap or so, and, with useful guys off up the road,  Cav  said to me 'we need to start working'.

"From then on, I just got my head down, working with Meyer to keep the pace high. There was no let up – my heart-rate was sky high."

After Graham's stint at the front,  Tom Black moved through and kept the pace as the bunch continued to chase down the two breakaway riders.

Tom said: "It was so hard. I went well after the first couple of laps. I took a while to get going – it was just so hot.

"When it was my turn to go on the front, I just knew I had to give 100 per cent. I buried myself for two laps working with an Aussie and a South African. That was my job today."

By the end of the seventh lap the two lads had ridden themselves to a standstill. 

Roche and Chris Whorral were chasing moves all around the circuit, doing their very best to keep the group together.

At the head of affairs Mark Christian moved through to help keep the pace high as the two leaders stayed about two minutes ahead.

With four laps to go the race really split with the Australians putting the hammer down to catch the breakaway riders.

This decimated the field and as the big nations took control it became impossible for the Manx riders to cover every move.

Mark said: "You'd be trying to close down a break and then immediately someone else would be off (the front), and it was chase again and again.

"The pace was high and you can only put so many efforts in before cracking."

The remaining Manx riders – Christian,  Chris Whorrall and Andy Roche were doing their level best to make things as easy as possible for Cav, but with the assembled might of the Aussies and Kiwis calling the tunes, they were relegated to trying to simply stay with the pace.

With two laps to go Mark Christian and Chris were out - having done their utmost - and with Roche having missed the break he too was not going to affect the outcome.

Up ahead there were two groups of five, with Cav in the middle of the second group.

With a lap and a half to go it looked all over for the pro as the leaders had pulled out a big gap and no one was helping Cav to close it down.

However he gave it everything to close up on the group ahead and at the bell was just ten seconds behind.

As they passed through the start/finish area with approximately. four miles to go the bunch were all together and it looked like a sprint finish may be on the cards after all.

Cycling team manager Gary Hinds looked calm but he wasn't. There was nothing he could do, but pace up and down and wait.

There was no big screen in front of the pits so there was no way of knowing what was going on.

When five riders to flashed around the corner with 700m to go to the line all the assembled managers, mechanics and helpers from all teams were desperately looking up the road through the dust and heat haze to spot who was in the group.

There were yellow jerseys but there was no yellow and red. Cav hadn't made it. His lone effort over the closing laps had taken everything he had and he had lost contact with about three miles to go.

Having crossed the line in seventh place, a minute behind the leaders, Cav was quick to praise his team mates.

He said: "I was so proud to wear the Isle of Man jersey. My team mates were great. I asked them to give 100 per cent and they did.

"The Australians are a professional squad - we have a postman and a guy who works for the Electricity Board."

The 15-times Tour de France stage winner then returned to the team tent, shook everyone's hand in turn and said he was sorry.

There was no medal but it was another proud day to be Manx.

After his final Commonwealth Games Road Race Andrew Roche said: "The team were brilliant throughout the race. That was the best team performance in all the six Games I've done.

"It's great for us all to have to opportunity to ride for Cav."

Gary Hinds paid tribute to his team.

He said: "The whole team rode well above themselves and I'm proud of the passion, pride and commitment they showed.

"They devoted themselves to making sure Cav was in the shake-up for the closing stages.

"One by one they mixed it with the Aussies, Kiwi's and South Africans. The big nations just had a greater strength in depth and that's what eventually outgunned a valiant Mark."