Well, the light, cool westerly wind on Saturday, March 22, was perfect for a record, and for a while it was an exciting Holy Saturday for sports fans countrywide, but not the thrilling climax that Belizean fans had hoped for, as once again a foreigner, twenty-year-old American Ryan Bauman, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Boyd Johnson a year ago, rode away from the pack and into the history books with a record breaking time (5:40:12) to claim the most coveted individual prize in Belizean sports, the garland of the 80th Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic.
This makes the tenth year running that an American cyclist has held the record for the Cross Country. In 1998, Ben Bernard (USA) broke Belizean Charles Lewis’ record of 5:57:00 with a ride of 5:49:16. Chris Harkey (USA) took it down to 5:48:15 in 2004, followed by Boyd Johnson (USA) who set a new record last year of 5:47:33. All these winners rode the Cross Country as members of a team along with Belizean riders. The speculation in some quarters is that it would be harder for the foreign cyclists to win if they didn’t have the collaboration of some local riders on the same team. Others feel that the foreigners would dominate even more if they rode on their own team.
There is a strong sentiment among Belizean sports fans where foreign participation in the Holy Saturday race is concerned. This event is different from all others throughout the year, and there is a lot of patriotic sentiment involved. It is more than a cycle race, and the Holy Saturday tradition touches sports fans throughout Belize, many of whom are not really cycling fans the rest of the year, and don’t understand, or care to understand, the nuances of team cycling.
Generally, foreign competition makes local sports more exciting and we appreciate all visitors. But it creates a bitter taste when our local riders have to put team loyalty first and “stand down” when a foreigner is on a breakaway in the Country. If we will be beaten on this special day of culture and history, then at least allow us to “go down fighting”. Perhaps it is time to stop this dual-nationality cycling team practice in the Cross Country; that is if cycling officials want to keep Belizean fans interested. There is no “hurrah” around Belize for the Santinos team victory. Respect to the American champion, but there is no joy and jubilation among Belizean fans; when they win, we lose. We only win when a Belizean wears the garland.
Veteran and former champion, Belizean Michael Lewis salvaged some honor for us and showed younger riders of the Jewel what hard work and discipline can do, when at age forty he out-sprinted Guatemalan Nery Felipe Velasquez to clinch second place in the Country for the fourth time in a career spanning three decades. In addition to the second place cash prize and trophy (the top fifteen finishers received a cash prize along with a trophy), Michael also took home two additional cash prizes in memory of Dwayne Arnold and Agnes Ginson Humes, donated by their respective families, as well as the prized bull, courtesy of Edmund “Clear the Land” Castro, for being the first Belizean to finish the race. “Big Mike” was the Cross Country Champion in 1992.
118 cyclists, representing 19 different teams, started the 140-mile journey at 6:00 on Holy Saturday morning, and 80 made it to the finish line in front of the Memorial Park on the Bliss Promenade, the track at the Marion Jones Sports Complex being under repair.
Following are the top twenty finishers in this year’s Cross Country:
1. Ryan Bauman (USA, San Cas Red Bull); 5:40:12
2. Michael Lewis (BZE, Sugar City Boys); 5:45:00
3. Nery Felipe Velasquez (GUA, Café Quetzal)
4. Carlos Hernandez (GUA, M&M Engineering)
5. Gavriel Epstein (CAN, San Cas Red Bull)
6. Jose Robles (COL, Benny’s Megabytes)
7. Lizandro Ajuc Velesquez (GUA, Santinos)
8. McNish Christian (PAN, Panama)
9. Mateo Cruz (BZE, San Cas Red Bull)
10. Darnell Barrow (BZE, Benny’s Megabytes)
11. Ted Shabazz (BZE, F&F Mountaineers)
12. Jeovanni Leslie (BZE, Santinos)
13. Dwight Lopez (BZE, BELCAL)
14. Anthony Taylor (USA, Western Spirit)
15. Marlon Castillo (BZE, Santinos)
16. Calman Williams (BZE, BELCAL)
17. Ray Cattouse (BZE, C-Ray Cycling Team)
18. Quinton Hamilton (BZE, Acros Guinness Smiling Meats)
19. Peter Choto (BZE, C-Ray Cycling Team)
20. Roger Troyer (BZE, Sagitun Cycling Club)