Roger Troyer of the Western Spirits Cycling Team from the Cayo district and Shalini Zabaneh of the Sagitun Cycling Team from Independence, Stann Creek district, won the National Road Championships organized by the Belize Cycling Association on the Western and Hummingbird Highways on Sunday, June 24.
Roger Troyer led a peloton of four riders of the Western Spirits team on the questfrom Mile 30 on the Western Highway to St Margaret’s Village on the Hummingbird Highway returning to Belmopan before heading west to the finish line in front of the Loma Luz Hospital in Santa Elena. He clocked in at four hours 48 minutes and 53 seconds.
Troyer’s teammates Jose Choto was second Peter Choto was third and Giovanni Choto was fourth. Peter Choto also won first place in the under-23 category
Robert Liam Stewart of the M&M Engineering Team rode in fifth almost 10 minutes later in four hours 58 minutes to win in the Masters’ Category.
Angel Tzib of Benny’s Megabytes finished sixth. Erwin Middleton of the Capital City Cycling Team took seventh place as he led a three-man chase group a few minutes later, with defending road champion, Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes trailing in eighth place, while Gregory Lovell, formerly of Santino’s team, but riding unattached, pulled in ninth. Sherman Thomas of the Capital City team rounded out the Top Ten.
Byron Pope had won the individual time trials in 45 minutes 10 seconds in the 19.5-mile circuit on the Burrell Boom bypass road on Sunday, June 17.
His teammates Herman “Hijo” Requeña was second in 45 minutes 20 second, and Allen Castillo was third in 46 minutes 46 seconds. Pope had had trouble with his bicycle in the hills on the Hummingbird Highway near St. Margaret’s Village. aHe borrowed a teammate’s bike to keep in the race. He had mechanical trouble with that bike and had to switch again, losing valuable time in the process.
Shalini Zabaneh won the women’s ride from Belmopan to St. Margaret’s and back to La Loma Luz in three hours 20 minutes and 25 seconds, while young Patricio Chavarria of BECOL Cycling team finished second in three hours 25 minutes and 52 seconds and Shalini’s teammate, Iris Centeno was third in three hours 56 minutes and 22 seconds.
Shalini had also won the individual time trials in 30 minutes 16 seconds over the 12-mile circuit on the Burrell Boom bypass road, while Patricia was second in 34 minutes 15 seconds and Iris was third in 36 minutes two seconds.
Junior Cross Country champion Oscar Quiros of the Xibalban team won his fourth race this year by taking the junior road race from Belmopan to Loma Luz, via St. Margaret’s, in three hours 11 minutes.
Aiden Juan of the Cayo High Road team was hard on his wheel to take second place, while Michael Wagner of the Cayo Uprising team was third in three hours 11 minutes and 35 seconds.
Quiros also won the individual time trials in 28 minute and 22 seconds, while Aiden Juan was second in 29 minutes eight seconds and Giovanni Lovell of Belize Telemedia team was third in 29 minutes 44 seconds.
Zamir Guerra of the Cayo High Road team won the youth road race in three hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds, while his teammate, Anfernee Young was second, and Delawn Abraham of the AAA Loans team was third in three hours 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Guerra’s teammate Zahir Figueroa won the individual time trial in 31 minutes 29 seconds, while Delawn Abraham was s second in 31 minutes 38 seconds and Young was third in 31 minutes 42 seconds.
Robert Liam Stewart also won the Masters’ time trials in 46 minutes 47 seconds, while John Newport of AAA Loans was second in 51 minutes 51 seconds. Steven Bissett won the Masters Category time trials in 30 minutes 13 seconds, while Luigi Urbina of the C-Ray team was second in 31 minutes 21 seconds.
