Anguillan Cyclist, Hasani Hennis Snags 2022 Cross Country Title

It was suspended for two years because of the COVID pandemic and while the reigning champion, Guatemalan Julio Miranda Padilla was not a serious threat in the home stretch for this year’s Cross Country Cycling Classic, Belize still did not regain the title for ninety-second Holy Saturday race. New Five’s Marion Ali was at the finish line and filed the following report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The garland for the 2022 Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic belongs to Anguillan cyclist, Hasani Hennis. The twenty-five-year-old snagged the prestigious title of Cross Country Champion in convincing fashion, pedaling past second place finisher, American John DeLong on the approach to the finish line at the Digi Park on Newtown Barracks. At 11:54 a.m., Hennis crossed the finish line in five hours, fifty minutes, twenty-eight seconds. DeLong was two seconds behind at the tape. Hennis told the media that he thought Belizean cyclists have matured over the years that he’s been following them.

Hasani Hennis

Hasani Hennis, Holy Saturday Cross Country Champion

“Belizeans [have] come a long way; they’re really strong. I mean it’s a long, tough race, so you could expect this, but like a hundred and thirty-five-K-race, they would do really great.”

But for the first two Belizeans to cross the finish line, Byron Pope and Marlon Castillo, team work between them could have resulted in a much better finish than the third and fourth that they placed.

Byron Pope

Byron Pope, Third place, Holy Saturday Cross Country Race

“He [DeLong] started attacking at Hattieville and I haul up to Marlon and seh “Marlon, if you have it you got to go with those guys. He said “Popey, we need to rotate.” I said, “No problem. Let’s rotate.” But he was kinda yelling at me and saying that I’m trying to ride for First Belizean. I said, “No, Marlon. I deh pahn my limits just like you and you need to understand racing.”

Marlon Castillo

Marlon Castillo, Fourth place, Holy Saturday Cross Country Race

“I wa be honest widunu, I think da first Belize thing wehdeh got I think that mek the Belizeans dehnuh ride to the fullest weh dehn need fi ride. I think dehn settle fi the first [Belizean prize] weh the Belize got, the foreigner dehn gone. I tell Byron let’s go and wi work together cause the first time me one bring dem in. Gimme a lee hand and come round and then yoh neva know, any one ah we could win. Byron is a fast man.”

For Pope, it was a disappointing finish. He said he trained hard, riding the full length of the race three times prior to the actual race in preparation, but when it came down to the sprint coming back home, he knew he was going up against the best in the sport.

Byron Pope

“I feel like I kinda let down Belize a little because everybody was cheering for us, but I’ll be honest, Hasani Hennis is no joke. I know the guy well from – I’ve raced with him in the Caribbean. I’ve raced with him in the States and he’s a well-rounded guy. John DeLong is no stranger to Belize. He recently came off a pro roster so that guy is still good, noh.”

DeLong has placed in the top five before in the Cross Country race, but this was his best performance yet. He told reporters that he got confused over where the finish line was.

John DeLong

John DeLong, Second place,Holy Saturday Cross Country

“A mistake at the end. I knew I had to jump before I saw the finish, but I didn’t (laughs). You know, it’s hard to recognize things after a hundred and forty miles. Yeah, I came and looked at it yesterday and I said “okay, I know,” but then I turned and I saw the finish and I knew, “Oh-oh!” (laughs).”

The first break-away in the race came when Shaun Codd and Eric Trapp rode off from the main peloton at mile ten on the journey to San Ignacio, but the chase group consisting of the first four finishers caught them at Rockville and rode past them. This group went all the way to Cayo and back before DeLong and Hennis dropped Pope and Castillo at mile five on the return journey. Defending champion, Guatemalan Julio Miranda Padilla placed fifth this year.

Marion Ali for News Five.