A GULLANE enduro ace has finished his career in fine fashion with a gold medal at motorcycling’s equivalent of the Olympics.

Neil Chatham headed out to Sardinia at the end of last month for the International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE).

The event, its 100th year, attracts competitors and teams from across the globe.

The centenary year event attracted 630 competitors, with Chatham up against more than 415 in the club and team section.

He was joined by Ricky Mair and Frazer Norrie as they represented SACU (Scottish Auto Cycle Union).

Neil’s dad, Campbell, told Courier Sport: “It’s something we have been working towards for a long time.

“We knew it was going to be big, the centenary event, and it was something very important to ourselves and the SACU.” The race itself sees the riders competing for six days, racing over nearly 800 miles across some of the island’s roughest terrain in blistering heat.

Very little work can be carried out on the machines, with just 25 minutes given each day for any tinkering.

Chatham and his team-mates were also up against professional riders from across the world.

Chatham, who works as a property manager, and Mair and Norrie finished in ninth spot – less than a minute behind the overall winners from Italy.

As the team finished within 10 per cent of the winning Treviglio team, they were awarded a gold medal.

The success comes two years after the same team went out to Finland for the same event, where Chatham was again in the medals.

His dad added: “Now, he has just got to get his head down and work.

“The bikes will just be for fun.”