The Cayman Classic Series got off to an exciting start on Sunday as cyclists took on a challenging 40 mile road race. The event drew a strong field featuring most of the top cyclists in Cayman, including defending champions Steve Abbott and Pam Abbott. However, from early on it was clear that defending a title this year would be anything but easy. After a rolling start from Grand Harbour, the racing started in earnest from Ocean Club where the neutral zone ended.
A number of probing moves went off the front early, with Perri Merren and Alan Harcombe stealing a march on the group by the time they passed through Savannah. However, they were soon brought back into the fold. Last year’s runner up Jerome Ameline decided to make an early run for it, taking off down the road in pursuit of the sprint points that would be on offer to the first three cyclists through two designated sprint points on the route. However, the more decisive action happened behind as a touch of wheels brought down a number of cyclists, including defending ladies champion Abbott, early attacker Harcombe, and Ray Welds to mention but a few. Although some like Harcombe were able to continue, Abbott and Welds had to abandon, leaving Abbott with an uphill battle in the next four races if she hopes to defend her title.
Meanwhile, Ameline was well clear of the pack as he passed through the first sprint point at Cottage, taking maximum points. Behind him the bunch was still together, with Gary Clarke and Brian Chin Yee taking second and third across the line.
Ameline remained clear of the bunch through East End but as the group was just letting him dangle out there, he did not persist with the break after claiming the second sprint point at the top of the rise on the Queen’s Highway past the Reef Resort.
By the time the bunch reached the Frank Sound junction to make the turn back to George Town they had Ameline within their reach. However, with many fresh legs in the bunch, the group started breaking up as the stronger cyclists pushed the pace, forcing the rest to chase.
The decisive move came from Henry Streather, who launched a probing attack off the front as the bunch approached Bodden Town. As he was not viewed as one of the favourites, he was granted some leeway, with only Michael Stomps deciding to chase him down. Stomps and Streather worked together for a while and managed to open up a useful gap on the bunch, but Stomps, sensing that he was the stronger of the two, decided to go it alone and see whether he could make it to the finish on his own.
As indecision enveloped the bunch, Stomps managed to hang on to his lead as the rest of the contenders started watching one another. In spite of another couple of attacks on the way to the finish, Stomps remained clear to take the first win of the series and the 25 points on offer, with the group making the turn to the finish past Lantern Point all together. Former series champion Michele Smith, always a danger man in the sprint, managed to jump past Abbott, who could not overhaul him before the line, with Smith rewarded with 18 points for his second place, and Abbott taking 15 points for third.
In the ladies race the win went to Risa Golberg, who had managed to remain with the leading group most of the way to the finish, with Carien Roberts-Harcombe taking second and Rebecca Vandiver claiming third.
Among the masters, the change in the qualifying age for the category from 50 to 40 meant that some new faces made it onto the podium, with Gabe Rabess taking the lead in that competition, followed by Laurent Weber and Jacob Luttermann.
In the sprint competition, Ameline leads after taking first on both sprints, followed by Clarke, Chin Yee and Luttermann.
The second event in the series, set to take place on Sunday 6 May, is a five kilometre individual time trial, which will see cyclists set off at one minute intervals on an out and back course along the Newlands Bypass. Cyclists will set off in reverse order based on the current standings in the series, which will therefore see Stomps taking the final start spot as series leader. The winner will be the cyclist with the fastest time and in an event decided by seconds, cyclists will be using equipment that cut down on their wind resistance like disc wheels and aerodynamic helmets specifically designed for time trial racing. Although Stomps is a very good time trial rider, he is likely to face a tough challenge from specialists like Ameline, Abbott and Smith, with Smith and Abbott standing a chance of taking the series lead with a good result.
The first cyclist will set off at 7am, with registration from 6am to 6.50am at the entrance to the bypass off the Shamrock Road roundabout. Entries are also available online.
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