Guatemalan maintains lead in Tour of Belize
On yesterday’s broadcast of Sports Monday we briefed viewers on the first three days of the M and M Tour of Belize. Today News Five’s James Adderley is back with the latest on the nine-day excursion.
James Adderley, Reporting
The M&M Tour entered its fourth day this morning with the forty mile ride up and down the Boom circuit, despite the heavy rains.
Going in, Daniel Quetzal, the Guatemalan riding for Sun Digital Photo came into day four wearing the leader?s jersey after amassing the best time of seven hours, twenty-nine minutes, thirty-two seconds over three stages that totalled one hundred and ninety-five miles, pushing Giovanni Leslie into second, Gregory Lovell into third, defending champion Jose Choto into fourth, while Mateo Cruz, who had to relinquish the yellow shirt rounds up the top five.
We now join this morning?s race on its was back to Leslie?s Imports on the Western Highway where this three-man breakaway of Marlon Castillo, American Scottie Weis, and Guatemalan Carlos Gabriel Hernandez are de facto controllers of the pace.
However, at the tape it?s a field sprint fighting tooth and nail for the big W in stage four. If you?re a Santino fan then you?re in ecstasy because Ernest Meighan provides the perfect lead out for Mateo Cruz who grabs the stage win.
Mateo Cruz, Winner, Stage 4, M&M Tour
?On the sprint I knew I had the legs, coming down, once I sit down I had the legs and that?s my kinda sprint, no solid lead luck, long and hard. My motivation is Vinokourov. That?s my idol in cycling and I know he?s proud of me right now.?
Daniel Quetzal, Overall Leader, M&M Tour
?I would like to thank our sponsor who gave us the opportunity to come here to ride. We are happy with the work that we are doing. We give our best in every race we ride. We are in top shape and we hope to continue wearing the yellow jersey until the end.?
Gregory Lovell, 2nd Place, Stage 4, M&M Tour
?Those guys came in this day and they just tell me to sit down because I am in second place right now and I don?t need to go out there and work very hard. So the Americans they will help me and they just lead me out to the sprint and I did well, I got second.?
Thus, the top five for today?s stage are Mateo Cruz, who did not do enough to recover the yellow jersey, Greg Lovell, Shane Weaver, Ernest Meighan, and guess who rounds out the top five, Roque Matus himself. Good show old man.
That?s it, James Adderley for News Five.
