SAINT LUCIA’S lone representative at the recently-held Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, 17- year-old Kluivert Mitchel, sprinted to victory in a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 23.75 seconds in the Saint Lucia Cycling Association 75-kilometre Road Cycle Race held on Sunday.
The race route consisted of three 25 km laps between Ravine Poisson and the Owen King-EU Hospital roundabout and finished near the Sol Bexon Gas Station.
Eleven riders started the race at 8.54 a.m. with a group of 5 riders quickly establishing themselves as the lead group consisting of Junior National Champion Mitchel; Elite National Champion Andrew Norbert; Winston Williams; Fidel Esnard; and 15-year-old juvenile Quami Robinson.
The bunch stayed together until 32 km into the race when Robinson could no longer keep up with the other four riders.
Esnard, Williams, Norbert and Mitchel stayed together despite Esnard being dropped on the climb near the Owen King-EU Hospital. On all three laps, he was able to join the lead group chasing on the flats. The four riders rode together with no serious attacks other than increasing the tempo on the climbs and seemingly destined for a finishing sprint.
With 200 metres to go, Williams started the sprint, but it was Mitchel who overpowered them all with 50 metres still to go.
Norbert finished second in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 23.75 seconds, Williams (Excellers) third in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 25.84 seconds, Fidel Esnard (Project Breakaway) fourth in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 31.49 seconds and fifth Robinson (Mon Repos) in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 38.94 seconds.