The 13th. running of the KREM New Year's Day Cycling Classic started in Corozal Town at 9:10 am heading to Belize City. The field comprised of more than 60 Elite cyclists representing Belize, U.S.A., Mexico and Guatemala. It was a fast and furious race and the few breaks that were established were short lived. THE break occurred when Smiling's Mexican Jose Calam and Smiling's U.S.A. rider Frank "Mac" Cannon ( 1987 Cross Country winner) launched an attack at the Boom Cut-Off and only Douglas "Barcelona" Lamb of Santino's managed to hang on. Attempts by Santino's Ariel Rosado to bridge were frustrated by Red House's Miguel Perez and Smiling's Quinton Hamilton who hung on to his wheel like "warry-stick". Rather than risk taking another Smiling rider across Rosado gave up his bridging attempt and settled in the main bunch hoping that team mate Dougie Lamb could hold on to the two Smiling riders who are both considered big guns on the Belizean cycling scene. The trio entered Belize City together and at the top of Belcan Bridge Calam made his bid but the wily Douglas Lamb held on to "Mac" Cannon's wheel knowing that Cannon was the stronger of the pair since Calam had worked alone the last 12 miles. 150 yards from the tape Lamb pulled away to beat Mac Cannon into second place and Calam had to settle for third place. Belize's top five riders did not fare well in this race - Barney Brown (last years winner) took 5th., Quinton Hamilton took 7th., Ariel Rosado took 11th. and Ernest "Jawmeighan" Meighan (last year's Cyclist of the Year) had to settle for 15th. place. With his win in a time of 3 hours and 17 minutes Douglas Lamb broke the previous record of 3 hours 28 minutes and became the first rider to win this race two times.
For the second time in the last three major races the Santino's Cycling Team demonstrated its dominance in all three categories and did this using only local riders. The Junior race was won by Santino's promising rising star Marlon Castillo who beat his Mexican challenger and the female race was won by Santino's Fiona Gonzalez. Exactly one month ago on December 1st. the Santino's Team swept the Alpheus Williams Classic with Rosado winning the Elite category and Castillo and Gonzalez winning the Junior and female categories respectively.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
