Al Gauchi completes homecoming by winning Cycling season opener

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

In Sunday’s BVI Cycling Federation season opening 10 laps-48-mile Highway Challenge, only four of the 24 riders knew Al Gauchi or how good a cyclist he is.

Competing in his first regular season race since 1996, Gauchi and defending national champion Phillippe Leroy, one of the riders in the field who knew him, planned the same strategy in search of victory.

With Chris Ghiorse, Conrad Emmanuel and Darel ‘Hit Man’ Christopher falling off the early pace after a collision that split up the field into a five man lead group just five miles into the race, Gauchi and Leroy, independently decided they would make their break away move at the Prospect Reef Roundabout on the eight lap of the 10 laps. The move surprised Neil Thomas, Peter LeBlanc and Jean-Pierre Bacle, as Gauchi and Leroy ducked it out for the remainder of the race.

Gauchi said since he was out of cycling and only rode in last years post season Jason Bally Memorial 100K, he was not sure of some of the riders in the lead group or their strengths, and decided to make a move by the Prospect Reef Roundabout when they were preparing to lap the chase group. “I knew it was going to have to happen around there because Jean-Pierre was pretty strong from what I heard and since I didn’t know a lot of the guys, I made the move with two laps to go,” explained Gauchi, who posted a winning time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 29 seconds, relegated Leroy to second in 2:09.53. Jean-Pierre Bacle was third in 2:11.04.

“The only reason I was with him on that move is because I was planning to make exactly that same move since I can’t sprint,” Leroy offered laughing. “I had to make it somewhere before. Everyone was surprised, but I knew I was going to do it and he drifted in front of me, so that’s why I managed to go with him. I was very lucky.”

Gauchi said after a while, he saw Leroy bridging the gap because he was doing some heavy pulls. “When we reached the traffic light by Treasure Isle on the last lap, I gave it a little extra on the pedals and I didn’t see Phillippe behind me anymore, so I took it easy to the Purcell Roundabout,” Gauchi noted. “It started raining before I saw where he was, so I didn’t want to crash or do anything stupid then I stepped on it a little and rode it in alone.”

Leroy said he was very surprised and happy with his performance. “It’s only the fourth time I’ve been on the bike three months,” he revealed. “I didn’t expect to last that long.”

Gauchi said he was surprised that in the early race accident that threw Ghiorse,  Emmanuel and Christopher out of early contention, no one stopped to offer assistance. “About 15 years ago, we used to slow it right down,” he recalled. “I thought we would slow it down so that they would catch up, but, that wasn’t the case. Everyone else proceeded, so I went with them.”

Final results; Road Bike Division: 1. Al Gauchi, 2 house, 09 minutes and 29 seconds. 2. Phillipe Leroy, 2:09.53. 3. Jean Bacle, 2:11.04. 4. Peter LeBlanc, 2:12.11. 5. Neil Thomas, 2:16.34. 6. Darel Christopher Sr., 2:19.38. 7. Anthony Spencer, 2:21.12. 8. Mark Bailey, 2:21.12. 9. Conrad Emmanuel, 2:21.13. 10. Sam Tucker, 2:31.53. 11. Mark McKenzie, 2:31.57. 12. Jim Cullimore, 2:31.59. 13. Steve Marsh, 2:34.26. 14. Tom Merrigan, 2:53.57. Dnf; David Thomas, Ben Butler, Calvin Welcome, Glenroy Forbes, Chris Ghiorse and Eldon Solomon.

 Mountain Bikes: 1. Roderick Thomas, 1:47.46. 2. Rick Connell, 1:51.14. 3. Darel Christopher Jr., 2:01.46. 4. Akeel Burrows, 2:10.19. 5. Jo Giacinto, 2:14.11.