A Historic 94th Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic   

The ninety-fourth running of the Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic is in the books. It was one for records. After five hours and thirty-nine minutes of race time, Honduran rider, Luis Lopez emerged as the victor. He is the first Honduran national to win the race. Belizean Carlton Robinson placed fourth after a valiant effort in the one-hundred-and-forty-four-mile race. He was the first Belizean to cross the finish line. Even more impressive, the first nine riders to finish the race broke a sixteen-year finishing time record. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

At six a.m., one hundred and sixteen riders lined up at the starting line in front of the Digi Park in Belize City. According to the Cycling Federation of Belize, nineteen of them were foreign riders. Leading the pack at the starting line is defending champion Oscar Quiroz. After a ride through the streets of Belize City, the race officially began at mile one and a half on the George Price Highway. Just outside of Belize City, six riders broke away from the main field of riders, creating a small gap. Among them are Honduran Luis Lopez, Belizeans Gregory Lovell, Carlton Robinson, Brandon Cattouse and American John De Long. At mile twenty-six, it’s still these six riders leading the pace, riding some twenty-six miles an hour.

 

Just outside of La Democracia, Joslyn Chavarria Junior broke away from the group of lead riders as the chase group, in hot pursuit, was finally able to close the gap. By mile thirty-three the entire field of riders was back together. Three at mile thirty-five, a small group of lead riders has been formed, when out of nowhere, Honduran Luis Lopez emerged from the chase group and launched a massive attack. He blew across and began opening a massive gap. Into Belmopan, it was all Luis Lopez, that is until American Clayton Travis blew past Lopez. Wasani Castro was in hot pursuit of Clayton. Travis displayed an elite level of endurance and racing, riding into San Ignacio and crossing the halfway point with an over one-minute gap between himself and the main field of riders. In Unitedville, on the way back to Belize City, it is still Travis Clayton. He has been in the lead for more than thirty miles.

 

With American Cory Lockwood leading the pace, the main field of riders finally caught up with Travis heading into Camalote Village. Towards Rockville, Belizean Carlton Robinson and Joslyn Chavarria are on the chase with two American riders, as they try to catch up with American Cory Lockwood who had a thirty-second lead. It wasn’t long after that Lockwood was caught and it was a whole new race leaving Hattieville, with only two Belizeans in a lead group of seven. Heading into mile eight, Carlton Robinson sets chase behind Guatemalan Alex Julajuj, with the other lead riders in hot pursuit.

 

A few miles from the finish line, Luis Lopez is in the lead as he is being marked by Carlton Robinson and Alex Julajuju. Lopez launched an attack in front of the Lord Cemetery, Robinson answered the call along with two other riders and reined in Lopez. A mile outside of the finish line it’s all Luis Lopez. Fans assembled at the DIGI Park, cheering on, as Luis Lopez crossed the finish line first and claimed the coveted Garland. He was followed by Julajuj, Abner Maxwell in third, and Carlton Robinson in fourth, also the first Belizean to cross the finish line. With finishing times below five hours, forty minutes and twelve seconds, the first nine riders to finish the race, broke the record of five hours, forty minutes and twelve seconds set by Rayan Baumann in 2008.

 

Luis Lopez, 94th Cross Country Champion

“To have a good race for the most important competitions I really wanted to push myself hard to give me confidence for the important races that come later. I wanted to push it to the end. There was a big lead that came later, and I waited, I was very patient. I felt very exhausted, but I found that the ones ahead of me were much more exhausted, so I waited until the end to push myself although I was exhausted. The strategy was to hit it with everything I had, save nothing. I knew I was coming in with so many riders, but I knew if I put in a though race, possibly in the end I was going to have a small advantage, a difference and well that turned out in the end.”

 

Carlton Robinson, First Belizean to Cross Finish Line

“It was a day, a really really hard race. I just want to thank God, my dad, my sponsors. I really tried keep it together, I know if it was brought a bit closer I could have won it in a sprint. I know if ih came closer I could have won it in a sprint. I guess the guys figured I am very fast and so they started to attack, attack, attack and I couldn’t go anymore.”

Paul Lopez

“Despite the position you came, how does it feel to be the first Belizean to cross the finish-line?”

 

Carlton Robinson

“It feels amazing, but I really wanted the win, but I have to be happy with this result.”