The Tribune

AFTER all the build up to the 8th annual Grand Bahama Road Cycling Championships, the date has finally passed and once again a new champion has been crowned.

Roy Colebrooke Jr, from New Providnce, won the 2014 Grand Bahama Road Cycling championship title which served as a part of the 10th anniversary of the Grand Bahama Cycling Association and the Grand Bahama Junior Olympics weekend that was held by the Bahamas Olympic Committee.

In the women’s division, the indomitable Vicki Stafford was unseated by Shannon McBrayer in what was a close sprint finish to emerge as the women’s 2014 Grand Bahama Road Cycling champion.

In a display of teamwork, Team Warriors worked together to unseat the pre-race favourite Chad ‘The Tank’ Albury of Spanish Wells, who won the 2013 Grand Bahama Road Cycling Championships with a dominating sprint. However, the feat would not be repeated in 2014 as Team Warriors occupied the top three positions of the event.

The race provided fireworks from the beginning as young Justin ‘the Jet’ Minnis attacked from mile zero which granted him a 100 metre lead on the field in the first two minutes of the race. He was joined by Angelo ‘Superman’ Sturrup for what was a short lived break-away attempt.

Together Minnis and Sturrup proved to be the most aggressive riders of the race in their attempts to clear the field. However, each of their attempts were reeled back in by the pace of Chad Albury, which would not allow anyone to establish a lasting lead. In the words of Kim Thompson: “The king of the pace is the king of the race.”

However, in the end, it was not the pace that wore the crown, but teamwork.

Like the champion that he is, Albury fought tooth and nail to retain his crown. Assisted by the new comer Chris ‘Robocop’ Curry, Albury managed to answer every attack laid down by Team Warriors in their attempts to question his form.

At the last bend, he issued what may have been the most decisive attack of the race. Charging out of the U-turn at the end of the Grand Bahama Highway, “The Tank” fired such a powerful blow with his attack that he left half of Team Warriors scattered over the road and ready to waive the white flag.

In fact, the only individual to escape his blast was Roy Colebrooke Jr who managed to hang on to his wheel. Anthony “Biggie” Colebrooke was also hit by the blast, but being the former champion that he is, he managed to find 34mph in his legs to claw his way back across the gap that the attack from Chad Albury had opened. He arrived on Chad’s wheel, battered, bruised, ready to give in and praying that “The Tank” would not fire again.

However, in a turn of events, Albury seemed to ease up on the cannon and slowed his attack. This allowed those who had previously been left waiving their flag to regroup and get back onto his wheel. And may have actually been the break that the Warriors needed to regain the control of the race that had almost been taken away from them in one powerful blow.

With the race now in its final six miles, it had become apparent that any attempt to break away was futile. Thus, the group now prepared for a bunch sprint. With three sprinters in the race in the form of Albury, Musgrove and Colebrooke, the final sprint could go to anyone.

However, once again Team Warriors would not have it.

Like a true group of Warriors, they surrounded their opponent, boxing him in and clearing all possible points of exit during the 35-plus miles per hour bunch sprint that was so close that the video had to be watched four times to determine the second and third finishers.

The Grand Bahama Cycling Association thanked the BOC, the Ministry of Tourism, Fidelity Bank Bahamas, Western Union and Cycles Unlimited for their sponsorship. They also expressed their gratitude to all cyclists who competed to make the event a success.

THE FINAL

RESULTS 

Category 1

Men 73 Miles:

Roy Colebrooke Jr - 1st - 3:27:00

Anthony “Biggie” Colebrooke - 2nd - 3:27:00:13

Justin “Jet” Minnis - 3rd - 3:27:00:14

Chad “The Tank” Albury - 4th - 3:27:00:29

Angelo “Superman” Sturrup - 5th - 3:27:00:50

Chris “Robocop” Curry - 6th - 3:27:01

Category 1

Women 61 Miles:

Shannon McBrayer - 1st - 3:12:27

Vicki Stafford - 2nd - 3:12:28

Category 2

Men 61 Miles

Kenton Roker - 1st - 3:07:42

Category 2

Women 37 Miles

Lynette McInnes - 1st - 2:24:54

Category 3

Men 37 Miles:

Terrance Winder - 1st - 2:55:39

Category 3

Women 25 Miles:

Michelle Hanson - 1st - 1:52:59