Marlon Castillo is new M&M Tour leader

This morning’s eleven-mile individual time trials turned the list of leaders in the M and M Tour of Belize upside down. James Adderley was at the finish line in Hattieville and has the interesting highlights.

James Adderley, Reporting
Stage seven of the M&M Tour of Belize produced a monumental shift in the overall standings as the twelve-mile individual time trial event through the Burrell Boom circuit this morning brought good tidings for some and absolute disaster for others.

For Marlon Castillo of Santino?s, the news couldn?t be better as alone on his machine for twelve miles he posted the best time of twenty-five minutes, forty-six seconds.

Chris Harkey, the American riding for Guinness Seahawks was next with a stage time of 25:50. His team-mate Scottie Weis also benefited big time from this morning?s event, finishing third in a time of 26:16.

Reigning Cross Country champion Bill Elliston of Sun Digital Photo was also the recipient of good news after his 27:17 showing gave him fourth place.

Ian Smith of Benny?s Megabytes did good work too. He was able to get into the top five stage finishers with a time of twenty-seven minutes, eighteen seconds.

Biggest in the bad news category is the yellow-shirted Danilo Quetzil, who was erroneously registered as Daniel Quetzal. He finished in a time of twenty-eight minutes, fifty-five seconds, which forced him to relinquish the lead.

Gregory Lovell of Guinness Seahawks, who went in at second in the standings after stage six, lost more ground today with his time of 28:56.

While Mateo Cruz, who also fell out of the top five, was concerned with this time of twenty-eight minutes, twenty-eight seconds.

Mateo Cruz, Team Santino?s
?Today it was cool and nice for time trialing … it?s been a while since the time trials, so if I Belizean win I?d really have to shake his hand.?

James Adderley
?You lost your green jersey to your team-mate.?

Mateo Cruz
?Yeah, the green jersey to Jawmain … Well once I lost it the Jawmain or Choto or Marlon I don?t worry, it?s still our team. You have to remember that I am six points behind, so it still could be mine or it still could be Jawmain. It just so unfortunate for Greggy that he?ll have to battle us two coming Sunday.?

James Adderley
?I have to find out from you though, what?s your feeling about your performance in the individual time trials today??

Mateo Cruz
?Man James, I didn?t go in the red zone. Chris Harkey, although he?s not on my team, he came to me and he said, Mateo just go steady until the bridge and then you maintain. So I didn?t really go into the red zone because I didn?t want to blow up. But I know once I put time on Greggy and the Guatemalan I probably could wear the yellow jersey. It?s a far call, but I?ll just have to wait and see the results.?

James Adderley
?The hills come up tomorrow. That will be a gruelling ninety-five mile journey.?

Mateo Cruz
?James, you can?t say it no more than that. I think from the start it will be like you drop a grenade in that bunch; it will just disintegrate. … Choto, Marlon, it?s your call man.?

So folks, the new overall leaders are Marlon Castillo of Santino who leads at the very top with a total time of thirteen hours, thirty-six minutes, seven seconds to wear the yellow jersey and we say congratulations.

Chris Harkey has stepped up to second with a time of thirteen hours, thirty-six minutes for the three hundred and forty-seven miles covered in the seven days so far.

Bill Elliston is now third with a time of 13:36:29. Scotty Weiss is fourth with his time of 13:36:31, while Ian Smith rounds out the top five with 13:37:10.

Tomorrow stage eight, also known as judgement day, comes up with the ninety-five mile ride in the hills of the Hummingbird Highway. It begins at eight a.m. This one is really for the strong. James Adderley reporting for News Five.