Pachon leads overall standings

LOUIS Diaz (Venezuela/Support Clean Sport) and Frank Travieos (USA/Team Pharmaco) ruled the streets of Scarborough during stage four of the 2018 Tobago International Cycling Classic, yesterday.

Diaz won the Market Square Criterium division one 60K/60-lap event in one hour, 42 minutes and 9.61 seconds (1:42:09.61), ahead of Travieso in a sprint finish who ended in 1:42:09.63.

The race was full of drama and spills and had to be stopped on two occasions because of crashes. The first spill came during the 15th lap and participants were forced to wait until the affected riders were treated before the competition resumed. In another collision the injured cyclist was taken to hospital. As the riders eagerly awaited the restart, the rains came and several participants opted to ride cautiously on the wet and slippery roads.

Robert Sierra (Venezuela/Heatwave) finished third ahead of Edwin Sutherland (Barbados/Heatwave), with TT’s Kemp Orosco (Heatwave), Dennis Ramirez (Colombia/Raiders), veteran Emile Abraham (TT/Team Pharmaco), Bernardo Diaz (Venezuela/Support Clean Sport), Mikael Stanislas (France/Sentry Boatyard) and yellow jersey wearer Oscar Pachon (Colombia/Raiders) rounding off the top 10. Pachon’s 10th place was enough to see him maintain the overall lead narrowly over Sierra.

TT’s Maurice Burnette (Phoenix) took over the lead in the division two category after winning the 20K/20-lap event in 38:43.62 from another local Kirtson George (Raiders) and Venezuelan Andres Diaz of Raiders. Heatwave holds the top three spots in the women’s class as Alexis Costa is ahead of sister Jessica and Cheyenne Awai.

Mark London took another division three crown after his wins in Plymouth on Friday and in Scarborough, yesterday. The five-time Carifta Games track and field champion cruised to victory ahead of Deon David and Cecil Meville in both stages. The 2018 Tobago International Cycling Classic culminates with the 130K Tour of Tobago today, which begins at the Scarborough Esplanade in Scarborough at 7.30 am.

During the Tour of Tobago cyclists will ride through a number of communities including Speyside, Charlotteville, Parlatuvier and Mason Hall.

This year’s edition will end with the prize-giving ceremony at the Cycling Village at Johnston Apartments from 4 pm.