U.S. rider captures Cross Country in record time

Good evening. I’m James Adderley and welcome to this Cross Country edition of Sports Monday. Without doubt the Holy Saturday Cycle Race is the biggest in this nation and the 70th edition proved to be even more exciting than was anticipated.

We open to Quinton “The Baddest” Hamilton affirming his participation in this prestigious ride as dictated by the Belize Amateur Cycling Association. However, before we go to the start we got this perspective from Aston Gill, the only Belizean rider ever to win 3 straight Cross Country titles and retire with 4 championships in all.

Aston Gill, Former Champion

“You have to have that confidence in yourself and say whenever you line up there, I am the best man out there today and no one is going to beat me. And with that attitude you just have to follow it up and do your best – live up to it.”

Will anyone heed the advice of the great athlete? Well here is a look at the start of this 144 mile journey and yes, they’re off in a mesmerizing sea of colors.

Of course the early morning is a dangerous time and this is what we encountered just 3 minutes into the race. Jeffery Zelaya needs a new bike, Glenn Gordon suffers the worst of the two man spill and you can see the pain of the fallen rider who would have to call it quits.

At Hattieville, crowds have lined the highway for the mighty spectacle. It’s Calman Williams all alone who takes the 16 mile station prize unchallenged. But have no fear the pack’s right here. At La Democracia, Jeffrey Zelaya has the crowd burning up to take the station prize leading out O’Brien, Roberts, Galindo of Guatemala and a Mexican rider. At Cotton Tree, this Dangriga rider Glenn Jones makes his only appearance up front never to be heard from again.

Going past the Belmopan cutoff the defending Champion Ernest Meighan has made a bid for the two lucrative station prizes in the area and while he pulls it off the wisdom of this solo effort needs to be seen. It’s a new leader to emerge on the way to San Ignacio. Jose Villanueva of Guatemala runs all the way to Floral Park. In the meantime these 3 riders – Ras Trait, Charlie Lewis and Germaine Williams of Cayo disentangle themselves to continue the chase. However, at San Ignacio it’s James Frampton all alone up front grabbing the halfway point station prize despite not breaking the record of 2 hours, 42 minutes set by Fitzgerald “Pallas” Joseph.

Now answer this question: Does San Ignacio enjoy Cross Country

Cycling? You can bet your bottom dollar.

Around Ontario, former Champion “Bunas” Mejia tries to make a run but it would be short lived. And then folks, these are the two riders who would make a run from mile 42 to mile 22. Smiling Meats teammates Brent Bernard and Andrew Smiling. The chase mounts this hot pursuit led by Gustavo Carillo and Sam Bennett. Of course many are called but few are chosen because at mile 21, the 6 riders remaining in the leaders – Smiling and Bernard, Gustavo Carillo of Santino’s, Roberto Guzman of Dominica – he was riding for team Malic – the deadly Jamaican, Tony Taylor and of course Sam Bennett. He did quite a job in reeling in the lead 2.

Here’s a look at the new record holder, Sam’s wife, Alma Bennett who beat out perennial Champion Camile Solis who had to settle for second while American Carolyn Stone took third.

Alma Bennett, Female Champion

“Well it was, ah, very difficult race… Windy and a lot warmer than I am used to back home.”

Q: “I saw Fiona, Camile and Carolyn struggling, trying to pick up your thrust. Where did you leave them on the highway?”

Alma Bennett

“Well, we were together maybe the first 4 miles but they weren’t pulling and it bothered me a little bit. So Camile and I… I attacked and Camile came with me and then we hit the hills and I looked back and I didn’t see Camile.”

Q: “What does the win mean to Alma Bennett?”

Alma Bennett

“Oh,…. it means a lot.”

Well back to the male finish. And while we left 6 at the Belcan Bridge the arrival at the National Stadium finds the solitary figure of Ben Bernard in a triumphant entry. Some 10 seconds behind, the big 5 set chase. There is not going to be a sprint for the 1998 Cross Country title. We get confirmation when Bernard swings around the hanger and believe me, it’s an early celebration for this American rider, riding for Smiling Meats, and of course here is the 1998 Champion – Ben Bernard raising his hands in victory.

We go to the sprint for second: Tony Taylor makes the first move but Andrew Smiling zooms inside to take over only to see Gustavo Carillo turn on the after burner in a mad dash to take over his third second place Cross Country finish. Smiling, the only Belizean in the pack – he takes third. Tony Taylor, Jamaican American – fourth, Ramond Guzman, Dominican American took fifth. Sam Bennett, American, he had to settle for sixth. Belizean American Barney Brown – he pulled up seventh, Sig Fowley, eighth. The defending champion Ernest Meighan of Belize – he pulls up ninth while Bobby Lee rounds out the top 10. Marring the finish was a spill by Ernest Meighan but mercifully Ernest Meighan suffered only superficial damages.

Ernest “JawMeighan” Meighan, Ninth Place

“After the sprint my own teammate no realize that I was so close behind him and he pulled off on the right-hand side and I was on the right-hand side of him and I overlapped his back wheel and I lapped in a spill.”

Q: “What kind of damage you feel?”

Ernest “JawMeighan” Meighan

“Well I had a bad race before this one and my wrist just pain me and I got some scratches on my back and my side.”

Q: “So you lost your title today, will we get it back?”

Ernest “JawMeighan” Meighan

“Well James, I tried my best for my team. I will try my best for probably next year I will try and get back my title again.”

Q: “Certainly you were unchallenged at the end, how did that come about?”

Ben Bernard, 1998 Cross Country Champion

“I was attacking in hopes that they would chase – so that Andrew would be on the back for the sprint and they just didn’t get it together. Andrew was chasing hard around the side and then he led up.”

Q: “Would you have been happier if you had been challenged for the title in the finish?”

Ben Bernard

“Ha, I don’t know how I could be any happier.”

Q: “It wasn’t even that hot. It was one of the better climatic conditions; it would have expected a better finish from Bobby Lee?”

Bobby Lee, Tenth Place

“Well ahm, the big rip break got off there. You know, a little pass half way and we had 2 teammates in there and it was not to my advantage to chase my teammates down and ah, I wasn’t feeling very good today.”

Q: “When were you aware that you could have been a factor in this race?”

Sam Bennett, Sixth Place

“Once I bridged to the break, pulling Andrew and I pulled Andrew and he wouldn’t pull and I told him, I’m bringing you up here because I like you but not ‘cos I’m stupid.”

Q: “Sam, let me ask you, are you satisfied with your finish?”

Sam Bennett

“Absolutely. I mean, my goal this year was the exact same as last year – to finish.”

Well that’s our show. And we leave you with the imagery of the great Aston Gill, putting the coveted garland around the neck of the new Champion Ben Bernard, of Smiling Meats, who set a new Cross Country record of 5 hours, 49 minutes, 16 seconds – eclipsing the mark set by Charlie Lewis back in 1994, a mark of 5 hours, 57 minutes.

Hey, life is real and then records get broken. We wanna thank our cameramen, especially George Tillett, who almost didn’t make it out at this Cross Country Classic.

Hey folks, that’s it.

Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.