Raiders dominate Earl Osborne Classic

VENEZUELAN Clever Martinez, of Team Raiders, captured the inaugural Earl Osborne Memorial International Cycling Classic 40-lap event which rode off, at King George V Park, St Clair, on Saturday.

Martinez, who played an integral role in his team’s dominant performances at this year’s Tobago International Cycling Classic and Beacon on the Avenue events, pedalled to gold ahead of eventual runner-up and last year’s Beacon winner, Frank Travieso (Team Pharmaco), and bronze receiver, Joel Yates (Heatwave). Yates’ clubmate, Bajan cyclist Jamol Eastmond, had to settle for fourth while unattached rider, Alwayn Steencamp rounded off the top five finishers.

Raiders extended their strong run of form at the Memorial Classic by also capturing the Smith Robertson one-lap sprint courtesy TT representative, Adam Alexander. The seasoned endurance racer beat to the line a persistent Eastmond and TT’s most decorated endurance rider, Emile Abraham (Team Pharmaco) respectively.

Additionally, in the International Unknown Distance event, Eastmond was able to ride to glory ahead of silver medallist, Romello Crawford (PSL), and third placed Belize’s Wasam Castro.

Earl Osborne attended Queen’s Royal College and was selected as one of two students to receive a scholarship from the TT government to study abroad at Brittania Royal Naval College, in England. He served as a naval officer for the TT Coast Guard before immigrating to the US to study business and finance. Osborne was heavily involved in road cycling in New York for 30 years but passed away in July 2011. He also provided housing for some of TT’s visiting cyclists such as siblings Adam and Joshua Alexander, when they travelled to the US to compete.

In honour of his legacy, his family opted to host and help sponsor this year’s event.