Andrew Young overcomes obstacles to win Soper Dome race

By Dean Greenaway

During the last three BVI Cycling Federation races Andrew Young have had a series of mishaps including falling and breaking his handle bar and getting 
flats in two other races. In Sunday's Soper Dome race in West End, Young 
put all that behind then overcame Phillipe Leroy's 2-minute lead to win the 
challenging five-lap 20-mile race in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 23 seconds.

The 20 mile race started at the Jolly Roger took the 13 cyclists through 
the hills of Belmont Estate, down to Long Bay, across to Smuggler's Cove 
and up to Steele Point before finishing on the downhill by the Jolly Roger.

Leroy who relaxed after holing the seeming comfortable lead, finished 
second in 1:42.33 while Clifton 'Tito' Forbes occupied third place, his 
best finish of the season completing the course in 2:08.24.

With the lead after the first three laps, Leroy said after he did not see 
anyone in sight and he figured that Young had given up he decided to do 
something he's not know for-relaxing. That decision turned out to be his 
biggest mistake. Young was steadily making up the 2-minutute deficit Leroy 
created.

Following the race, Young explained that as he came towards the hill coming 
from Smugglers Cove to Steel Point, he saw Leroy walking up and figured 
that something was wrong. That recharged him and he made hits move by 
sneaking up on a surprised Leroy to win the race by 10 seconds.

Leroy had anticipated his biggest challenge coming from BVI cycling 
champion Jaron Maduro who ended up later got a flat, instead of Young, 
because Young doesn't ride as fast a downhill as Maduro. That's when Leroy said he made his mistake by relaxing when he should have kept on riding hard to keep his pursuers at bay.

Final Results: (Note; positions 1-6 completed all five laps) 1.Andrew 
Young, 1 hour 42 minutes 23 seconds. 2. Phillippe Leroy, 1:42.33. 3. 
Clifton 'Tito' Forbes, 2:08.24. 4. Conrad 'Manny' Emanuel, 2:10.19. 5. Jim 
Cullimore, 2:24.21. , 6.Steve Marsh, 2:35.33. 7. (4 Laps) Alston 'Alo' 
Hanley, 2:06.37. 8. Tom Merrigan, 2:26.50. Dnf: Neil Thomas, David Thomas and Jaron Maduro. Fun/Novice: ( 2 Laps)1.Akeem Gumbs, 1:10.48. 2. (1 Lap) Steve Burger, 33:47.