Cycling: Winners Edge Road Race Results
Almost 100 riders took to the road on Sunday morning [Apr 5] to compete in the Winners Edge Road Race, held on what is regarded by many riders as the toughest course on the local racing scene.
Starting and finishing at Police Headquarters at Prospect, the route takes them onto Middle Road, over Cable and Wireless Hill, to Flatts, Northshore Road over the difficult climb up Commissioners Hill, along Palmetto Road before turning left onto Frog Lane and a long steady leg draining uphill to the National Stadium before turning onto Gymnasium Road and the final sting in the tail, a short steep ascent to the finish outside Police Headquarters.
In the Adult ‘A’ race, last weeks race winner Shannon Lawrence, Team Tokio was sure to be the man to watch after an impressive victory when he rode away from the field. Aware of this the attacks started early on the six lap, 42 mile race when a group of riders including Chequan Richardson, Bicycle Works, team-mate Arthur Pitcher, Winners Edge riders Anthony Bartley and Mark Hatherley, along with Madisons Deshi Smith and Tokio rider Matt Aukland made an early move on the first climb of Cable and Wireless Hill. with the group apparently working well together they extended their lead to almost three minutes at which point Lawrence and fellow Tokio rider Dave McComas began a powerful chase down.
Eventually reeling in the field, the attacks and counter attacks continued until a group of six, Richardson, Bartley, Lawrence, McComas, together with Winners Edge youngsters Matthew Oliviera, and Bermuda Junior Athlete of the Year Tyler Smith, broke away from the field. On the final lap Smith attempted an early break on Commissioners Hill, but with such a strong group it was short lived. As the riders jokeyed for the final effort, it was ever improving Richardson who made the final move as the riders turned onto Gymnasium Road. With split seconds seperating all six riders he held on for victory, with McComas and Oliviera rounding out the top three. The winning time 1 hour 52 minutes 30 seconds.
The Adult ‘B’ race saw more of a tactical start with any attempts to break up the field in the first two laps all pulled back. However shortly after the start of the third lap, Winners Edge rider Kaden Hopkins, who just turned 15 and having moved up to the adult division this season, decided to test the pack on Cable and Wireless Hill, and by the time he reached to top he saw he only had Dylan Hill, another junor, Bermuda Cycling Academy and Andrew Hern of Tokio for company. Seeing this the three riders continued their effort opening up a gap over the rest of the riders. With the three main teams represented it could have easily seen the chase group sit up, hower with Hern unable to maintain the pace set by the two youngsters the chase down was left to the nine riders of Tokio.
Sensing the danger, with Hopkins fresh off a win last week in the first race of the season and Hill second, they attempted to work a paceline to bring the two riders back. However Greg Hopkins of Winners Edge stubbornly refused to give up second or third wheel for the next three laps, interrupting the rythm of Tokio despite the seemingly tireless efforts of Adam Hopkin aided by Jason Piney and Andrew Soares. On the final lap and the two leaders at times looking deceptively close at times, the frustrated Tokio riders eventually ran out of time, as Kaden Hopkins and Hill battled for victory. Hill made the first move on the final climb of Commissioners Hill but faded and Hopkins broke away to win uncontested over a minute clear of his rival. Hill finished second and Peter Crayford of Tokio taking third in a bunch finish.
If Olivieras third place finish in the hotly contested adult ‘A’, and Hopkins impressive performance in the adult ‘B’ were not a clear sign of the changing of the guard in local cycling, then the result of the Adult ‘C’ race clearly erased any doubts. Jordan Dowling, Winners Edge, another junior who chose to move up to an adult division got into an early break with Tokio rider Randolph Smith. Eventually pulled back by the field, and leaving Smith alone Dowling stayed woth the main pack.
On the final lap, another youngster Alex Pilgrim, Bicycle Works and Winners Edge rider Terry Thomas opened a gap on the now familiar race breaking hill at Cable and Wireless. These two were also reeled in and with the riders all back together the gruelling last mile was clearly going to set the stage for a toug finish. Pilgrim again attacked but was pulled back, and as they turned onto Gymnasium Road it was Jordans turn to make his move, riding clear to take the hill top finish ahead of his Winner Edge team mate Thomas and another junior Ben Edwards taking a well deserved third.
The womens race over four laps turned into a somewhat clincal performance by top triathlete Karen Smith, Winners Edge. After an early attack by Wenda Roberts of Bicycle Works was countered by Smith, the two riders worked well together to open up a significant lead over the rest of the field. On the last lap Smith gapped Roberts and put her triathlon time-trial skills to good use, opening up a lead of over a minute, taking victory with a well deserved second place for Roberts. Another Bicycle Works rider, Lara Norman took third some four minutes back.
In Junior ‘A’ Nicholas Pilgrim was first with Okari Williams second. Mich Cook, Ziana Burgesson and Enshe-Nico Davis were top three finshers in the Junior ‘B’ event, and Blake Oliviera, Adrian McPhee and Liam Fannary were first, seciond and third respectively in the Junior ‘C’ Race.
Full Winners Edge Bike Race Results follow below [PDF here]
