M&M Tour kicks off Wednesday
The race kicks off tomorrow and while it’s not as famous as the Holy Saturday Cross Country, News Five’s James Adderley reports that the M&M Tour of Belize is drawing a crowd.
James Adderley, Reporting
It was an attentive audience at the San Cas Plaza this evening when Mayor Zenaida Moya proclaimed let the M&M Tour of Belize begin and with that the M&M Tour, a five days, six stage event, kicked off into high gear—well at least as far as the official opening ceremony for the 2008 edition goes. It will feature some hundred and twenty athletes from as far north as Canada and as deep south as Argentina. First to be introduced is the United States under twenty-three national team in town to check out the action for the very first time. Team member Peter Salon said:
Peter Salon, U.S. U-23 National Team
“Our team is a very young team, it’s probably the youngest team here in the race. And I think we’re here mostly to—as a training—to get the miles in and also the racing before we head to race in Europe.”
Meet Alliance Environmental of the U.S. who gave us a lot of trouble last year. Of course, looking most formidable on the podium is the Herring Gas Cycling Team featuring a U.C.I. world champion in time trial, but first here’s what Kenneth Bellan had to say.
Kenneth Bellan, Herring Gas Cycling Team
“This is our first appearance in the Tour of Belize and we’re very happy to be here. We have eight strong riders that we brought with us. One, as you can see, is the former world champion—this year’s world champion for the Master’s Time Trial. We have a couple of sprinters on the team, a couple of very good climbers and a couple of very, very good time trialers so we think we’re gonna be all over the board.”
All the way from Canada comes the Calyon Pro Cycling Team. Cable DX of Guatemala is also back and they promise to be a major factor this time around. In the meantime, Nicaragua and Honduras combined their best talent to make their first appearance in this M&M Tour as a unit and they’ll be something to watch. But if any team struck fear in the hearts of the Belizean fans it’s the world renown Team Tecos from Mexico and in fact team leader Fausto Esparza was pretty cocky about it.
Fausto Esparza, Team Tecos
“We’re the, one of the best teams of the American continental. We have raced in all South America, North America and now we’re happy to be here in Belize.”
James Adderley
“What are your aspirations for this particular event? Do you think you can come in on your first time and take it all?”
Fausto Esparza
“Yeah, of course, we come here for win. That’s always with us, we come in every race to try to win. My team is one of the best in North America so we know we have the possibility to win.”
Meanwhile, new and improve Benny’s Megabytes are out to represent the jewel and they will have their work cut out for them, you can believe that. F&F Mountainair did not show up in full strength on the podium but they’re ready to represent. Shane Vasquez an the Western Spirit is in the hunt and this time the former cross country champion thinks he does have a shot.
Shane Vasquez, Western Spirit
“This year I’m not riding with a foreigner team. This is the second year for me in the Tour of Belize and twice I’ve make it in the top ten position. This year I’m riding with the Western Spirit cycling team, my official cycling team. And what happened this year, I think based on the strategy we have come out with and so forth, I think we’ll pretty much have a good ride with the team. In the previous years I wasn’t in really the best of condition for this race because I was just using it training and training and training to get into shape for the Cross Country but this year I’ve been riding a little bit more than the previous year so hopefully I see if I can do well this tour.”
The M&M team didn’t bring all their guns to the opening ceremonies but they’ll be ready for star time … I guess. San Cas Red Bull might look familiar to you people and they are featuring some of the best local talent. However, the Santino team to watch is, well, Santino’s and they brought a few world class talent to help two time defending champion Marlon Castillo to win a third.
Marlon Castillo, Team Santinos
“We pretty middi train very hard so we think we definatley ready fi this M&M Tour so I wah go out deh, try mi best with mi fans and the people them come out, support mi. definatley, I wah give them all, maybe I wah could win again, mek it three time defending—three time champion M&M Tour.”
Folks, there are fifteen teams participating this time around and a few didn’t reach the podium today but they’ll all be ready tomorrow morning for the nine a.m. start. We must tell you though, the most famous man in this year’s tour Michael Olheiser, a two time U.C.I. world champion is here and this is what he had to say.
Michael Olheiser, U.C.I. World Champion
“I’m actually the two time world champion, Masters world champion thirty to thirty-nine. I won it last year over in St. Johan, Austria and this year—back in Austria this year or last year as well.”
James Adderley
“Do you think it’s gonna be a walk in the park for you?”
Michael Olheiser
“Oh, definatley not. There’s a lot of really, really strong teams here, looks like a really good field and it should be challenging for everybody.”
And so people, stage one begins tomorrow, nine a.m. from in front of the Pallotti High School and it heads to the Belize-Mexico border, swings back to finish a hundred and ninety-eight kilometers inside later Orange Walk. See you tomorrow in the news on Channel Five for the full details. I’m James Adderley reporting for News Five.
