Jr. Cyclists head to Guatemala
It may seem odd that almost twenty-two years after independence we still find it newsworthy when Belize is treated by its western neighbour as a sovereign nation. But, hey, progress comes one step at a time…or in this case, with each revolution of a bicycle wheel. Patrick Jones reports.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The team of Belizean cyclists travelling on Tuesday will bear the nation’s pride and joy on their shoulders. It’s the first time that Belize has been invited to take part in the Vuelta de Juventud in Guatemala, a three-day tour for junior cyclists under the age of eighteen.
Kevin Hall, President, Belize Cycling Association
“It gives us a feeling of being accepted within Central America; recognition as an independent country because this tour has been going on for seven years prior to this one and all the other Central American countries, except Belize, have been invited. So we now feel a part of this region. It’s a very important invitation for us in that it gives us a chance to showcase what Belizean cyclists is all about going into this particular event.”
Hall says that with each country sending a minimum of six riders each, the Belizean athletes will find themselves competing against at least forty of their peers. But while some of the riders may prefer to let their pedalling do the talking, eighteen-year-old Jiovanni Leslie says the key to a good showing in Guatemala will be teamwork.
Jiovanni Leslie, Junior Cyclist
“Anyone who starts to ride a bike race has to have the win in their mind. But if the competition is stiff, as how we expect it to be and we have our heads on our body, well I do think that we will try to win. Try to bring home the gold.”
Though they may be novices on the international cycling scene, these guys: Jiovanni Leslie, Gilbert Banks, Marlon Castillo, Lyndon Garnett, Greg Lovell and Christopher Galvez, have done their homework, and know that the way to the top is paved with miles of practice.
Gilbert Banks, Junior Cyclist
“I expect to find better riders than us because they have hills in Guatemala that are longer than our one in Belize. So I find that will be the difficulty…We try and train in the hills, so we can improve our climbing skills.”
Jiovanni Leslie
“I feel that we have a very strong team and I am very confident that when we reach over there, if we pass through the elevate, the high part of the stages that they have, I think that our team will stand out to the competition.”
While the excitement over being admitted to the races has both athletes and officials on a high, the head of the selection committee says that with the growing number of banned substances on the “do not touch” list, the athletes must be kept under strict supervision.
Alan Auil, Head of Selection Committee, B.C.A.
“It is something that the coach needs to monitor what everybody is taking. As far as vitamins, there are vitamins available at drugs stores that may have ephedra or some Chinese roots or different things that really are considered banned substances. So if any of these guys are taking a banned substance I am sure it is innocently and it is good that you point it out now that we can check to see what all supplements some of these guys take and try to cut it off right now.”
Hall says all six cyclists have been cleared for competition and are excited to be taking part in the regional tour. Whether they win or not, officials of the Cycling Association hope that on their return the experiences they bring back will encourage other young men to pick up their bikes instead of other less productive pursuits. Patrick Jones, for News 5.
While participation in previous international events has been a headache for the Cycling Association, this time around Hall says that the guys who will wear the blue, red and white in Guatemala will not have to worry about money. The Government of Belize, through the National Sports Council, is providing funding to the tune of about seven thousand dollars to make it possible for the cyclists to take part. In related news, a team of senior riders will travel to Cuidad del Carmen, Mexico, on the weekend of July twenty-sixth to defend their title in the annual two-day event.
