Race abandoned as 27 cyclists go astray in Anegada 

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

Under some of the best racing conditions, with the biggest turnout of the BVI Cycling Federation season, the race was abandoned when 27 cyclists got lost on the famed Anegada Desert Duel course Sunday. 

“I guess it was a case of whatever could have gone wrong did and then some,” Cycling Federation President David Thomas said. “The race was actually really good, but we had problems with cows knocking over some of our signs and guys getting lost, others getting really lost and getting really upset. We actually ended up having void the race.”

Thomas said because of the Federation’s 10 anniversary celebrations, they decided to extend the course to 30 miles. “But we had some issues with the signs being knocked down. Since the course was slightly different to what we are accustomed to, and with signs not being there to tell you whether to go left, right, east or west, you ended up in a situation where you weren’t sure where to go.” Coupled with the fact of the course being different and since there are no land marks on Anegada which has a summit of 28 feet, Thomas said that riders were lost. “All in all it still was a very good event,” Thomas noted. “We had 13 in the main field, five in the women’s short course and nine in the fun/novice segment. I think it was really great race and the fun/novice people had a really good time. The women also had a good time and even the guys in the main course despite getting lost every now and again.“

“If the signs had stayed up and the course stayed marked, it would have been a really great race.”

The BVI Cycling Federation next race is the Sunday, June 15 Prison Break starting at 7 a.m. at Harbor View in East End.