Cycling: Anse Royale Mini Bazaar 123.2km Race-Mathieu back on winning track |30 March 2007

Fifteen cyclists were on the starting line for Sunday’s (March 25) race but only nine finished.
The race started at Anse Royale and the cyclists had to pedal all the way to Beau Vallon via Anse Etoile, back the same route up to Grand Anse via Takamaka and back to Anse Royale where they started.

In the absence of his grand rival Bertrand Lesperance, who is away on training camp, Mohan Shopping Center’s Mathieu who disappointingly finished fifth in the RK Motor sponsored circuit race the previous week, narrowly won the contest in 3 hours 39 minutes 59 seconds (3h39:59) ahead of St Francis’ Jim Melanie, who was runner-up in 3 hours 40 minutes 01 second (3h40:01).

MSC’s other contestant, Brian Sinon, was the third cyclist to hit the tape, registering a time of 3 hours 40 minutes 29 seconds (3h40:29).

Last week’s winner of the RK Motor circuit race, Motor Riders’ Leeroy Labiche, was unlucky to experience a burst tyre less than one kilometre into the race. He however managed to pick himself up and clinched the fourth spot in 3 hours 44 minutes 08 seconds (3h44:03).

Nelson Rose was Vélo Club de Mahé’s (VCM) only participant to cross the finishing line. He registered 3 hours 45 minutes 47 seconds (3h45:47) and settled for fifth position.

In 3 hours 57 minutes 41 seconds (3h57:41) St Francis’ Andrew Boniface was the sixth cyclist to finish the race. He was followed in the seventh position by his St Francis colleague Edward Pothin, who was the only junior competing in Sunday’s race. Pothin completed the race in 3 hours 59 minutes 08 seconds (3h59:08)

Raoul Gomme of Motor Riders registered 4 hours 54 seconds (4h00:54) to claim the eighth spot overall whilst MSC’s Andrew Payet was the last cyclist to cross the finishing line, in 4 hours 01 minute 23 seconds (4h01:54).

MSC finished as the best team with a total time of 11 hours 24 minutes 51 seconds (11h24:51) followed by St Francis which accumulated 11 hours 36 minutes 50 seconds (11h36:50).

R. D.