Dennery’s Antinous Jn Baptiste Wins 112K race
ST. LUCIA has a new national cycling champion. He is 25 year old Antinous Jn. Baptiste from Dennery.
Jn Baptiste emerged as champion when the St.Lucia National Cycling Association held its annual championship on Sunday in Vieux Fort. He made his presence felt in the 112 kilometre event by defeating last year’s champion Fidel Esnard and some well know local cyclists in the first major podium finish of his career.
According to Cyril Mangal the President of the St.Lucia Cycling Association the main pack stayed together up until the 20th kilometre into the race when Jn Baptiste pulled away on a solo breakaway. The main group consisting of 2015 Champion Esnard, Winston Williams and Eustace Dookie, Junior Cyclists Andrew Norbert and Juvenile Kluivert Mitchel among others rode within two minutes behind Jn Baptiste for the next 40 kilometres.
Mangal said, “After this the pace increased as Fidel Esnard and Winston Williams pressed in pursuit of Jn. Baptiste with Andrew Norbert and Eustace Dookie faltering as the duo of Esnard and Williams slowly closed in on Jn. Baptiste. The two finally caught up with Jn Baptiste by the 87 kilometre mark with 25 kilometre still to go”.
He continued. With 11 kilometres to go Williams was unable to hold on as Jn. Baptiste started a series of relentless attacks with only the defending champion Esnard holding on. Jn Baptiste unleashed more attacks, but each time Esnard crawled his way back. With just about 1 kilometre to go Jn Baptiste made his final attack, but this time around Esnard was unable to respond thus allowing Jn. Baptiste to go through the finish line to cover the 112 kilometres in 3 hours 17 minutes 9.44 seconds.
Fidel Esnard (Project Breakaway) was second in 3 hours 17 minutes 31.91 seconds; 3rd was Winston Williams (Excellers) in 3 hours 21 minutes 36.23 seconds and 4th was Kenneth Mathurin (Project Breakaway) in 3 hours 38 minutes 56.63 seconds.
In the Juniors category – 1st was Andrew Norbert (Mon Repos) in 3 hours 26 minutes 29.41 seconds.
The Juveniles covered 62.25 kilometres The results were: 1st Kluivert Mitchel (Mon Repos) in 1 hour 45 minutes 55.02 seconds, 2nd Jesse Mentor (Mon Repos) in 1 hour 53 minutes 31.81 seconds, 3rd Sherkel Aubert (Excellers) 2 hours 17 minutes 47.76 seconds, 4th Ken Eugene (Excellers) in 2 hours 38 minutes 25.34 seconds. In the 50 plus age category covering 62.25 kilometres 1st Raymond Volney (Project Breakaway) was the winner in 2 hours .00 mins 17.56 seconds.