Rich Harper Wins Digicell Valentine's Classic for Team Zamir Cycling

February 15th on the roads of the Western Highway proved to be the show grounds of the second official classic on the Belize Cycling Association's racing calendar for the 2009 season. This 82 mile journey was sponsored by BTL's Digicell and saw the participation of 63 riders from all of Belize's major teams and riders, as well as a Mexican contingent from Chetumal, a Costa Rican riding for Benny's and four Americans (two each) riding for Sugar City Starz and Team Zamir Cycling respectively.

This one got off the way promptly at 9:00 a.m. in front of the San Ignacio Hotel enroute to the Benque Viejo Border then returning back to Belize City. Kudos to the BCA as this is the second major race of the year to have gotten off on time. Despite many early attempts the first major breakaway of the day did not occur until the descent of the Cement Hill coming back through San Ignacio. This 19 rider group included many of the race favorites and included riders from Santino's, Benny's, Sugar City Starz, Zamir Cycling, Acroz-Guiness, and Western Spirits.

Nearing Brick Wall around mile 55, American Christopher Monteleone (Sugar City Starz) countered off an attack launched by fellow American Chris Harkey (Acroz-Guiness) and managed to create an immediate separation from the group of nineteen. Monteleone would eventually build a lead off just under 5 minutes ahead of the field and ran solo for almost 40 miles until just outside of Hattieville near mile 18, where he was caught after some serious chasing by the combined efforts of Team Santino's and Benny's.

After the catch and a series of attacks Amercian Rich Harper (Team Zamir Cycling) launched an attack near mile 14 and would never be caught. Hoping to not get outdone, Benny's Costa Rican import Pablo Espinoza attacked in the last four miles and was quickly followed by Roger Troyer, Harper's Belizean teammate on Zamir Cycling, and that's how they would finish with Harper hanging on to win by a minute 25 seconds despite being routed down the wrong road by one of the race officials at the Faber's Road junction.

Coming into the sprint for second Espinoza would hold on to clip Troyer who had to settle for third.Winning the bunch sprint for the remaining top ten positions was 4th - Gregory Lovell (Santino's), 5th - Mateo Cruz (Sugar City Starz), 6th - Elston Coleman (Santino's), 7th - Jose Choto (Zamir Cycling), 8th - Ray Cattouse (C-Ray), 9th - Gian Ochaeta (Sugar City Starz) and rounding out the final tenth spot was Kyne Gentle (Westen Spirits).

Congratulations to the winner Richard Harper of Zamir Cycling team for being the first foreigner to win this classic, as well as setting a new record of 3 hours and 53 minutes. Team Zamir Cycling is formly the Sugar City Boyz Cycling Team who recently had to change their team name to meet a BCA request.

All in all it was a good race for both teams as between Zamir Cycling and Sugar City Starz we placed 12 riders in the top 21 positions.

Notably absent from today's race was Marlon Castillo who is sidelined with an injury, as well as other strong finishers Brandon Cattouse (C-Ray) and Byron Pope (Benny's) who are out of the country training.

Next up on the cycling calendar is the annual Belmopan Classic scheduled for March 8th, 2009 then the big one, Cross Country on April 11th, 2009.

SCB Ready for the DigiCell Valentine's Classic

In what promises to be a very exciting race from teh gun, Sunday's DigiCell Valentine's Classic should prove to be 85 miles of non-stop war of the road. The race is scheduled to start in Cayo and venture to the western border town of Benque Viejo, before returning to Belize City. With the grand classic (Cross Country) little more than two months away, the race should be the perfect mid-season gage to see where all the teams are with their preparations.

The SCB camp should have a full compliment of riders in our arsenal, having also strengthened up again with some foreign help. Returning for this race will be some of our friends from Hincapie?gary Fisher including Monte (USA-U23), and Bruce Humphries, as well as new comers Eric Murphy (AEG) and Rich Harper (A&F Pro Development).

The boys have been training and racing hard the last month, doing several hill training sessions out west and through the Hummingbird Highway, as well as the weekly Saturday races.

Some of the other teams have been prepping well as well, doing similar hill rides and others have even managed to send some of their riders aboard to compete in the recently concluded Vuelta de Monterrey in Mexico. Likewise, some of them have also opted to go for foreign help.

The teams and riders to watch will surely be ourselves (Berty, Quinton, Roger, and Mateo) have been training and racing well, and the Choto Foundation will be on their home turf for the 1st half of the race. Also, Santino's (Greg, Marlon, & Elston) Benny's (Byron and their Panamian) and C-Ray (Brandon) have all marked this one as one of the guages on the calendar to hone in on the Cross Country preparations. Western Spirits (Shane Vasquez) will also be on home turf and will be expecting a strong showing.

Who will win....???

I'll tell you Monday!!!

In a bit of an update, news to us is that Nery (our Guatemalan import) is now home and recoverying from his injuries, however racing/cycling will for now have to be put on the back burner. We understand some of his injuires may be career threatening and include among other things a badly broken right arm, and some clotting in the heart. let's hops El Negrito can pull through. wishes him the best.