Dominique Mayo Wins Road Race at Southside

Youngster Dominique Mayo of Team Madison won the 51-mile Winner’s Edge road race in St. Georges outsprinting Damian Sharp of Team Fast Forward Bicycle Works at the line. Adam Harbutt of team Madison was third.

Most of the 108 riders who took to the line contested a 10.2-mile loop that extended from Clearwater Beach to The Swizzle Inn round about at Blue Hole hill. The course, described by one rider as second only to the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race on May 24, was made possible with escorts from the Bermuda Police Service and the Bermuda Long Rider’s Motorcycle Club.

After a one hour delay caused by a serious road traffic accident outside of the Pizza House restaurant racing got under way under ideal conditions. The five-lap A race remained together for most of the first three laps with the headwind and distance discouraging serious attempts to break away.

Neil Lupsic of Team Madison attacked several times without success, and Mark Godfrey of Team Winner’s Edge enjoyed a couple of solo miles off the front on the third lap.

The first real move to stick was an attack with Mayo, Greg Hopkins of Winner’s Edge and Damien Sharp, but they didn’t stay off the front for more than 5 miles.

With two laps to go Sharp and Mayo attacked along Kindley Field Road into the headwind to earn a 10 second gap. Realizing that that could be the move, Team Winner’s Edge went after it with Darren Galsford, Treshun Correira and Mark Godfrey.

Brian Drea and Adam Harbutt of Team Madison jumped on the back of the Winner’s Edge group to join the leaders and to form the seven-man group that would decide the race.

Coming through the start / finish line at Clearwater for the last time Sharp, Harbutt and Mayo attacked again and managed to stay away with the other four being caught by the group.

Out numbered two to one on the final lap Bicycle Works rider Sharp found himself out numbered two to one by Madison riders Harbutt and Mayo who over the final lap attacked and counter attacked to wear down their opponents.

Coming off of Peppercorn Hill onto Cooper’s Island Road onto the finishing straight to Clearwater Beach and into a headwind, Sharp led the sprint to the finish with 300M to go.

With 150 to go Mayo came around on his right and secured his second career win by a bike length. Harbutt finished third and lone Crime Stopper’s rider Dennis Joell outsprinted the remainder of the A race to finish forth.

Karen Bordage of Team Winner’s Edge was the top woman on the A race finishing 16th

The 40.8-mile B race came down to a duel between Team Bicycle Works and Team Winner’s Edge with Bicycle Works working hard to break the race up. When it became clear that neither team would escape, the race settled and it became clear that a sprint finish would decide the race.

By the end of the Race Anthony Bartley of Team Crime Stoppers won out over Marcelino Ferreira of Team Winner’s Edge and Joey Richardson. Bartley’s plan to conserve his energy until the end worked to perfection as he lacked the support of the two larger teams.

Jason Ming of Crime Stoppers, Nigel Godfrey of Team Tokio and Martin Bolton of Bicycle Works rounded out the field of the C race. Wenda Roberts of Bicycle Works was the top woman finishing fourth. Stacy Babb of Crime Stoppers was the second woman finishing sixth of the field of 19.

Daniel Oatley of Bicycle Works, Rico Smith and Nakeno Creighton of Team Focus were the top finishers in the Junior A Race. Gabriella Arnold of Winner’s Edge and Kamryn Minors of Team Tokio were the top girls finishing fourth and fifth.

The Junior B riders worked together during the first lap of their two-lap race before picking up the pace to break up the 11-rider field. In the end, Zion Dowling of Team Focus, confident of his sprint, edged out Victoria Davis of
Team Winner’s Edge. Alex Pilgrim was third. Crime Stopper Malik Joell was first in the Junior C race ahead of Alex Bordage and teammate Jayden Ming.

After five races the team standings are led by Bicycle Works with 290 points. Winner’s Edge trails with 268 points. Madison has 213 points, Team Focus has 58 points, Crime Stoppers has 43 points, and Team Tokio has 33 points.

The next race is the Bank of Bermuda Foundation Time Trial National Championships. For more information visit bermudabicycle.org.

- Photos are by Simon Parker, article by Duncan Simons

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