Addicted to Biken: KREM'S 22nd NEW YEAR'S DAY CYCLING CLASSIC

Monday, January 9, 2012

KREM'S 22nd NEW YEAR'S DAY CYCLING CLASSIC

Video of Race finish and interviews.

My race data

Top 10 Elite finishers in the 2012 Krem New Year’s Classic
1st	Geovanni Choto	Belize	Western Spirit	3:43:10	24.57 m.p.h.
2nd	Byron Pope	Belize National Champion	Benny’s Megabytes	3:43:41
3rd	Peter Choto	Belize	Western Spirit	3:43:43
4th	John Delong	USA	VeloShine Cycling Team	3:43:44
5th	Edward Reyes	Belize	D&D Cycling Team	3:43:45
6th	Marlon Castillo	Belize	Santino’s	3:43:49
7th	Leroy Casasola	Belize	Santino’s	3:44:56
8th	Gregory Lovell	Belize	Santino’s	3:45:01
9th	Allen Castillo	Belize	Benny’s Megabytes	3:45:01
10th	Christian McNish	Belize based Panamanian	Benny’s Megabytes	3:45:10

Race reports and interviews

New years Day Race Corzal to Belize City 91 miles

The race started 9am with 90degree temps and 80% humidity. The race went from the gun with groups slipping off the front.

3.5 miles into the race team captain Chris Harkey and I started trying to catch or bridge to the many groups of breakaway riders. Chris would attack, everyone would chase, once the pack was on his wheel he kept the pace high.

I would then attack and bridge to the small group ahead. This scenario happened six times till someone on my wheel started to yell that the pack was on us. This was at the 17 mile mark, I started to time trial for 2 miles till the top Belizean rider Marlon Castillo attacked me. I bridge up and we started to rotate. A group of 12 riders was rotating with us till Orange Walk, at mile 32 in the center of Orange Walk there was a Station Prize of $1000.00BZ Marlon jumped 1km out, 2 riders countered, I caught them with 500 meters to the station prize and was going to pass on the left, they came left I braked dove right, thought I still had the sprint but was passed with

50 meter to the line. The group was reduced to eight riders after the sprint. At mile 50 Marlon attacked hard. Guys started jumping after him in groups of 2. Finally I was 30 seconds back with the rest of the break chasing without me. I jumped and made it to one bike length behind Marlon, at this point I checked to see if anyone was on my wheel. Peter Choto was there I swung off to make him finish the chase. He said we should let him go and chase him with the group, 40mile to go was too far for anyone to go solo. Peter had his brother Geovanni Choto in our group. The group rotated for 20miles with Peter and Marlon's teammate sitting at the back, Marlon was holding a one minute lead on us. 20 miles to go it started to rain. Belize is known for having very slick pavement when it is wet. 18 miles to go Marlon sat up and came back to the chase group. There were attacks but nothing serious. 10 miles to go Geovanni Choto attacked, he had been helping me the most chase Marlon, I thought it best to let him stay away to possible get everyone work except his brother Peter just sat on my wheel.

There were attacks but we rotated to keep him close. Every time I was on the front Belizean National Champion Byron Pope would attack (Byron had lost his brother to gun violence the day before the race). The final turn was about

500 meters from the finish, the turn was around a pot hole filled roundabout and we had to turn about 100 degrees. It was pouring rain and the road was flooded Marlon attacked into the final turn. I came out of the turn 5 bikes off the back of the 4 riders. The final 500 meters was up a steep bridge and down the other side. Geovanni was winning the race 20 seconds in front of us. I jumped and caught the 4 at the top of the bridge, Byron opened up his sprint and Peter followed I was able to beat Marlon and Edward Reyes for 4th overall.