Sorry for the late post of the results of the Belmopan Classic held on March 8th, but I been swamped at work and been trying to get my own ass into some kinda form for the after Cross Country racing season, i.e. the summer races.
The Belmopan Classic is the 3rd biggest classic on our racing calendar, but usually gives an early indication as to who is on form going into the BIG one, the Holy Saturday Cross Country. It is about 105 miles of sun and that stiff south easterly wind that will challenge riders on the Holy Day.
About 65 riders lined up including our friends from North Carolina and Georgia as Monte, Harp, E Murph and 1st timer Cleve Blackwell flew in to lend a hand to our local guys. Ten miles into the race a small four man group got off the front, and we were represented well, with Giovanni (sugar City Starz) having made the break. We opted to gmable and leave this one out there on the basis that Giov was in pretty good form and would not disappoint. This break would eventually build an 8 minute lead with 40 miles to go in the race.
At mile 37, with the other two member of the breakaway showing signs of crumbling, Giov and the lone Santino's rider attacked and instantly got a gap on the other two. We radioed back to the others to shut it down as we were confident Giov would be able to hold out for the win over the Santino rider. Santino's sensed this and told their guy in the break to sit up and then they started a vicious chase in the back, aided by Benny's who saw their race hopes dashed when their rep in the break was dropped at the mile 37 attack.
Their Costa Rican import (Nieves Carrasco) slaved along with the Amercian duo of Grant Potter and Sheldon Serrao riding for Santinos until the breakaway was caught with 14 miles to go. Unfortunately for us, the guys had been so busy in the back countering and bringing back attacks to protect Giov's lead, that only Rog and Pete (Team Zamir Cycling) were able to follow the chasers that caught them. With 10 miles remaining the Costa Rican moved again and this time only Rog and Jeovanni "Froggy" Leslie (Santino's) could follow.
This trio would make it to the finish maintaining a small 25 second gap over the chasers. In the sprint the Carrasco rose first and Rog locked on, but cramped up badly. Froggy took advantage of this mishap and opened a decent gap with the Costa Rican desperately trying to close. Rog would recover enough to contest the sprint with him but would eventually have to settle for 3rd by a 1/2 a bike length. Such are the breaks sometimes. Giov would hang on to crack the top ten in 1oth place with the seven chasers.
Roger is easily riding the most consistently of the guys on our team and is gonna be our "go to guy" come Cross Country. With a win under his belt in one of the Saturday races back in January, several top 5's and two back to back 3rd places in the classics leading up to it.
With the support of the solid cast of veterans like Jose Choto, Mateo Cruz, Quinton Hamilton, and young horses like Giov and his brothers Choto (Raf and Pete), along with again a bolstering for foreign help we will be going for the glory with Rog....
The Belmopan Classic is the 3rd biggest classic on our racing calendar, but usually gives an early indication as to who is on form going into the BIG one, the Holy Saturday Cross Country. It is about 105 miles of sun and that stiff south easterly wind that will challenge riders on the Holy Day.
About 65 riders lined up including our friends from North Carolina and Georgia as Monte, Harp, E Murph and 1st timer Cleve Blackwell flew in to lend a hand to our local guys. Ten miles into the race a small four man group got off the front, and we were represented well, with Giovanni (sugar City Starz) having made the break. We opted to gmable and leave this one out there on the basis that Giov was in pretty good form and would not disappoint. This break would eventually build an 8 minute lead with 40 miles to go in the race.
At mile 37, with the other two member of the breakaway showing signs of crumbling, Giov and the lone Santino's rider attacked and instantly got a gap on the other two. We radioed back to the others to shut it down as we were confident Giov would be able to hold out for the win over the Santino rider. Santino's sensed this and told their guy in the break to sit up and then they started a vicious chase in the back, aided by Benny's who saw their race hopes dashed when their rep in the break was dropped at the mile 37 attack.
Their Costa Rican import (Nieves Carrasco) slaved along with the Amercian duo of Grant Potter and Sheldon Serrao riding for Santinos until the breakaway was caught with 14 miles to go. Unfortunately for us, the guys had been so busy in the back countering and bringing back attacks to protect Giov's lead, that only Rog and Pete (Team Zamir Cycling) were able to follow the chasers that caught them. With 10 miles remaining the Costa Rican moved again and this time only Rog and Jeovanni "Froggy" Leslie (Santino's) could follow.
This trio would make it to the finish maintaining a small 25 second gap over the chasers. In the sprint the Carrasco rose first and Rog locked on, but cramped up badly. Froggy took advantage of this mishap and opened a decent gap with the Costa Rican desperately trying to close. Rog would recover enough to contest the sprint with him but would eventually have to settle for 3rd by a 1/2 a bike length. Such are the breaks sometimes. Giov would hang on to crack the top ten in 1oth place with the seven chasers.
Roger is easily riding the most consistently of the guys on our team and is gonna be our "go to guy" come Cross Country. With a win under his belt in one of the Saturday races back in January, several top 5's and two back to back 3rd places in the classics leading up to it.
With the support of the solid cast of veterans like Jose Choto, Mateo Cruz, Quinton Hamilton, and young horses like Giov and his brothers Choto (Raf and Pete), along with again a bolstering for foreign help we will be going for the glory with Rog....
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