Bailey wins 70-mile road race in style

Zefal Bailey used home court advantage to good effect, to out ride cyclists from St Lucia, Dominica and one from Poland, to win the OECS Warm-Up 70-mile road race, last Sunday.

The race was staged by the SVG Grenadines Cycling Union. Bailey’s winning time was 3 hours 43 minutes 36 seconds, as he won comfortably.

The route started at First Caribbean International Bank in Kingstown and headed to Orange Hill on the Windward side, then to the Arnos Vale roundabout.

From the Arnos Vale roundabout to the Diamond Estate loop, the cyclists were required to cover that circuit twice, then finish at the Sion Hill intersection.

Bailey, after completing the distance, had a period of warm down and relaxation, before fellow Vincentian rider Enroy Lewis breached the finish line.

Lewis’ time was 3 hours 50 minutes 41 seconds.

The first non-Vincentian to complete the race was Brame Sanderson of Dominica, who stopped the clock at 4 hours 01 minute 34 seconds.

And, finishing fourth was St Lucian Winston Williams, in 4 hours 07 minutes 37 seconds.

Bailey’s cash prize was compliments Premium Products, while Lewis’ was from Lewis Auto, Sanderson’s thanks to Express Data and Williams’ from Cedric Mc Intyre.

The other finishers were Matthew Gula (Poland) in fifth place, 4 hours 08 minutes 42 seconds; Sherkel Aubert of St Lucia was sixth in 4 hours 11 minutes 16 seconds and the St Lucian pair of Josiah Murrell and Calix Williams, seventh and eighth, respectively.

Murrell’s time was 4 hours 40 minutes 50 seconds and Williams, 4 hours 52 minutes 19 seconds.

Ten cyclists started the race.

The OECS Cycling Championships are set for early July in Dominica.