Jawmaine takes Valentine?s Cycling Classic

James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening I?m James Adderley bringing you this Valentines Day dish of Sports Monday so we?ll jump immediately into the Valentine?s Day Cycle Classic staged by the Belize Cycling Association yesterday on the Western Highway.

The Elite category of Belizean Cycling has drawn some fifty-six bidders for this eighty-six mile ride that gets off from San Ignacio, heads further West to the Benque Viejo Border Station and then swings back to finish inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex here in Belize City.

And indeed there?s a high sense of drama when the starting gun gets this journey off.

People say familiarity breeds contempt, but in cycling familiarity is a major plus as demonstrated by the Cayo rider Rafael Choto who becomes the first cyclist to reach the turn around point at Benque Viejo.

Some sixty-five seconds later the pelathon arrives with its massive array of colours showing absolutely no sense of urgency.

Meanwhile, at the Hawksworth Bridge in San Ignacio it?s another Cayo rider who controls the pace to pick up the first station prize in the person of Jose Choto, brother of Rafael Choto, obviously both from Cayo.

Outside of Central Farm this four man unit featuring Jeffrey Zelaya, Douglas Lamb, Gregg Lovell Junior. and Williams of M & M has taken control.

But only three remain in the lead when Douglas Lamb claims the prize at the Roaring Creek. Zelaya at Lovell do hang on.

By the time the race arrives at Beaver Dam Bridge, Quinton Hamilton and Jose Choto have made it a five man lead and Hamilton riding as an independence today take that station prize. Just in case you?re wondering around the main pack?well they?re only a minute and a half away.

Before arriving at the La Democracia Junction?Ernest Meighan becomes the only chaser to make a successful run at the leaders to expanding the lead to a six man unit. Quinton ?the baddest? Hamilton would take that offering.

At Hattieville, there?s a spirit of co-operation amongst the six and it does appear to be Gregg Lovell?s turn to grab a prize.

At mile eight Jeffrey Zelaya gets his turn to grab a station prize.

While at Mile four Jose Choto steps up to pick up his second station prize in the ride, which means only Ernest Meighan is without a station win.

This brings us to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex where all six riders are still in the hunt for the big W.

We?re at the final turn to the tape. Greg Lovell has the lead. Ernest Meighan attacks from the inside and quickly establishes his superiority and then taunts his man. Meighan wins his fourth Valentine Cycle Classic. Lovell has to settle for second, Quinton Hamilton pulls up third, Douglas Barcelona Lamb fourth, Jeffrey Zelaya finishes fifth while Jose Choto comes in at sixth place.

We caught up with Ernest Meighan who was clocked at four hours, four minutes, three seconds and asked why he taunted young Gregory Lovell.

James Adderley
?Greg Lovell Junior was ahead of you coming around the curve. Take us through that particular series of events.?

Ernest Meighan, Winner, Valentine Cycle Classic
?Well, I wasn?t really watching Greg. I was really behind Quinton because I know Quinton is a better sprinter. But when I saw that gap, I hurry came around Quinton and jumped on to Greg. He was very strong at the end. That?s when my move at the end. Nuff respect to Greggy but lately he?s caught in a lot.?

James Adderley
?Certainly, for a moment back there we thought you had it. What happened??

Gregory Lovell, Second Place
?Well from the start of the race I was working real hard and I was up there. They had a lot of big teams out there and I was just trying to do my best.?

James Adderley
?When do you think you would be able to hold Ernest Meighan because you came close today??

Gregory Lovell
?Well I just need to watch him and try to ride smart and stay up there and work out very hard.

Meanwhile on the female side Shalini Zabaneh almost shook the country by running away with the event except for the heroics of Anamarie Bennett who caught up with Shalini at Lord?s Ridge and then burned her in the big time sprint for top honours.

Anamarie Bennett, Female Champion
?When she broke away from about mile fourteen nobody wanted to work. That forced the Santino?s team to work but they weren?t really pacing hard. So she opened quite a gap. At mile six when Matthew came up and told me it was time for me to move out that?s when I attacked. Only Joanna came with me. She couldn?t stay and I was able to catch her back just before the burial ground. We came into the track together and I was able to sprint her.?

Shalini Zabaneh, Second Place Female
?Today was very hard. I gave it my all. Cycling is really difficult. But you know, it?s a part of the triathlon and I need to improve on that section of the triathlon.?

James Adderley
?So that?s what you?re working towards??

Shalini Zabaneh
?Yes, definitely that?s why I am into it now.?

James Adderley
?But aren?t you amazed by the fact that today?s race was yours to win??

Shalini Zabaneh
?Yes, but when it came down to the end I just didn?t have it I guess.?

On the Junior side, Darnell Barrow took top honours beating out Federick Banner, Domingo Lewis pulled up third, Ron Vasquez fourth while Carlo Guerra rounds out the top five.

Switching gears, we head to the MCC Grounds as Week four of the Regents Cup tournament found Kulture Yabra hosting the undefeated defending champion Sagitun of Independence.

After loosing two to one to Krem Lake last week Kulture Yabra tries to start fast, but that won?t happen if you can?t make something out of these opportunities like these.

We?re some twenty-eight miles when this corner kick finds the head of Elroy Kuylen and the power launch gives Sagitun a 1-zip lead.

And yes celebrating a goal has taken on world class choreography.

Sagitun does get a chance for another big time celebration on this press; only Kareem Haylock can?t find the target. At the half it?s a 1-zip Sagitun lead.

In second half Tyrone Muschamp almost beats Darren Hinds with this nice push on the run but the veteran keeper recovers in time to come up with a spectacular save.

Yabra needs the goal and are now pushing the pace but this header is rejected by good defence.

At the other end Sagitun gets a chance to double the lead but Elroy Kuylen?s left foot shot is intersected by Elroy Rowley.

Robert Muschamp then gets his chance to shake the net but the shot veers outside the sticks.

Meanwhile this shot from Kareem Haylock has the potency but the ball rises over the crossbar.

Folks we?re in the closing moments of the ballgame when Norman Tilliman Nunez steps up behind this set piece and he swings it around the wall to beat Darren Hinds to force the one to one tie.

In other results from around the league the San Pedro Seahawks sunk Kremandala two zip, Juventus doubled Cayo Avengers two to one while in a battle of cellar duellas Calcutta Bulls crushed Print Belize Griga three to one.

Thus after four weeks of play Sagitun leads with ten points. The Seahawks show nine, Juventus eight, Kulture Yabra five, Calcutta tour, Kremandala tour, Cayo Avengers four, Print Belize Griga it?s all zeros.

In Cricket news, the Harrison Parks Cricket Competition saw surprise knock off sunrise on Saturday. A hundred and eighteen to eighty-three thanks to thirty-seven runs from Clarence Anthony who also struck for four wickets, for sunrise Alburn Rivers struck for nineteen runs.

Hey folks, that?s our show for today, we certainly invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.