Caribbean Mountain Bike Championships … Thomas and Bentley gain valuable exposure from inaugural participation

Sep 30, 2016, Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2016/09/30/caribbean-mountain-bike-championships-thomas-and-bentley-gain-valuable-exposure-from-inaugural-participation/

Guyana’s two-member team to the XC Caribbean Mountain Bike Championships that took place in St. Maarten/St. Martin on Sunday last while not featuring among the top riders, gained valuable exposure from an event that saw this nation taking part for the first time.

Jude Bentley and Keon Thomas both competing in the Elite Men category did not finish the grueling event which was held on a challenging trail. It was won by Puerto Rico’s Georwill Perez Roman in a time of 1h 40’ 50″95 with countryman Gian Martinez second in 1h 49’ 01″81 and Eugenio Sennoaj of Guadeloupe third in 1h 50’ 18″29.

The 6-lap race on the 6km course with a 198m elevation per lap is described as a hard packed single track with some rocky and root sections; steep climbs with some technical descents along with passages and bridges.

The local duo and others who compete in Guyana are not accustomed to this as they mostly race on flat surfaces in the National Park and on the roadways.

Despite this, the pair of riders which were managed by Marc Sonoram took up the challenge of competing with a view to ensuring that there is much more focus on real mountain bike riding as they intend to ensure also that Guyana prepares itself to be a serious competitor at next year’s championships which will be hosted in Trinidad and Tobago.

It was reported that Bentley was involved in an accident whilst training the day before the race and despite injuring his left hand still competed but was forced to call it quits on lap 3. Thomas was caught by the race winner on lap 4 and was subsequently called out of the race.

A total of 11 riders did not finish the event; eight completed.