Louis Diaz of (Venezuela and Support Clean Sport) and Frank Travieso (USA/Team Pharmarco) ruled the streets of Scarborough during Stage Four of the Tobago International Cycling Classic (TICC) on Saturday.
Diaz won the Market Square Criterium Division One 60km/60 lap in one hour, 42 minutes and 9.61 seconds (1:42:09.61) ahead of Travieso (1:42:09.63) in a sprint to the finish.
The pair crushed the field after taking the lead at the end of the 24th lap and worked together to gain an advantage over the chasing peloton. The two exchanged the lead throughout and pushed the pace until they caught the pack at the completion of the 36th lap (24 remaining).
Lewis Paul (UK/TBW23) led the opening lap ahead of Gregory Vanderpool (Barbados/Sentry Boatyard). Yoxmel Diaz (VEN/Support Clean Sport) and Dennis Ramirez (Colombia/Raiders) took the next laps before Travieso took over after five loops.
He and Bernardo Diaz (Venezuela/Support Clean Sport) maintained the lead until the end of lap seven when Heatwave riders Jamol Eastman (Barbados) and Guy Costa (T&T) went ahead. The pace slowed down and picked up as different riders showed their intentions to take the stage. Martinican Mikael Stanislas (Sentry/Boatyard) and T&T’s Jabari Whiteman (Dutch Food Valley) all had their moments in front before Diaz and Travieso teamed up to conquer the field.
The race was full of drama and spills and had to be stopped on two occasions because of crashes. The first came during the 15th loop and participants were forced to wait until the affected riders were treated before the competition resumed. The other collision occurred 10 laps from the finish line. The injured cyclist was taken to the hospital.
Robert Sierra (Venezuela/Heatwave) finished in third ahead of Edwin Sutherland (Barbados/Heatwave) with T&T’s Kemp Orosco (Heatwave), Ramirez, veteran Emile Abraham (T&T/Team Pharmaco), Bernardo Diaz, Stanislas and Oscar Pachon, wearing the yellow jersey from (Colombia/Raiders), rounding off the top 10. Pachon’s 10th place was enough to see him maintain the overall lead narrowly over Sierra. Both are on 73 points.
Stage One winner Carlos Linares (Venezuela/Raiders) was third (68) ahead of Abraham (62) and Kein Vogel (Germany/Embrace the World).
Abraham continues his lead of the Sprint King standing ahead of another local rider Akil Campbell and Bernardo Diaz. Abraham was the top Masters (Over 40) Caribbean and T&T's cyclists for yet another stage. Team Raiders unit leads in the standings ahead of Heatwave and Team Pharmaco.
T&T’s Maurice Burnette (Pheonix) took over the lead in the Division Two category after winning the 20km/20 lap in 38:43.62 from another local Kirtson George (Raiders) and Andres Diaz (Venezuela/Raiders).
Heatwave holds the top three spots in the Ladies class as Alexis Costa is ahead of sisters Jessica and Cheyenne Awai.
Mark London took another Division Three crown after his wins in Plymouth on Friday in Scarborough. The five-time Carifta Games track and field champion cruised to victory ahead of Deon David and Cecil Melville in both stages.
The Classic culminates with the 130km Tour of Tobago Sunday from the Scarborough Esplanade at 7.30 am. Riders will proceed along Milford Road and unto Claude Noel Highway unto Shirvan Road up to Dunveygan Road up to Northside Road, passing Speyside, Charlotteville and Parletuvier.
This year’s edition will end with the prize-giving ceremony at the Cycling Village at Johnston Apartments.