The NC race for a Central American mixed race features a 100km hilly parcours with a short hilltop-finish.
Cuba (4 riders) and Mexico (3) will search for it's new road (and timetrial) champions: Cuba with a clear favorite (Martinez), Mexico with a rather open race (Davila, Colex) - at least for the road race.
Cuba
Mexico
Yasmani Martinez (Kenya Airways)
Luis Enrique L. Davila (MTN)
Fulgencio Bru (VW-Mapei)
Bernardo Colex (BNCR)
Jose Mojica (Mobil - Castrol)
Serafin J. Blanco (Team CSC)
Raúl G. Cabrera (Koenigsegg)
A small field always favors the breakaway attempts and so these 3 riders will definitely have good chances today:
So each of the two participating nations represented in the break of the day.
And the group is allowed to go for the line honours, as the group behind won't manage to get a working pursuit started.
Blanco, everything but good on short climbs like today's, goes all or nothing and attacks his compatriot and favorite for the Mexican competition Colex 10km before finish!
But it looks like an empty-handed attempt to surprise Colex and soon-to-be-crowned Cuban road champion Mojica, as they easily overtake Blanco at the bottom of the 1km hilltop-finish!
Bernardo Colex also easily shakes off Mojica for today's win and a brand new NC-shirt! Mojica, of course, will be happy anyway.
Road titles/
Bernardo Colex (Banco Nacional de Costa Rica) Jose Mojica (Mobil - Castrol Cycling)
A flat 50km timetrial-parcours and at least the Cuban competition looks like it could be an interesting one..
Mexico/ Let's quickly sum up the Mexican group first though: Bernardo Colex timetrials to an easy double, beating his "strongest" competitor Davila by one and a half minute!
Cuba/ The Cuban group promises for a more thrilling race, as Martinez should be top-motivated to grab at least this TT-title after failing in the road race.
Road champion Mojica is the man to beat (and top-favorite, too), but Martinez puts some pressure on him - being just 11" in arrears at the intermediate..
But it's no happy end for Martinez, as Mojica also delivers in the TT, beating Martinez by 23" eventually. Congrats for this double.
Cuba
Mexico
