On Monday Mateo Cruz won the 26th running of the Sancas Redbull Belmopan Classic. Coming in second was Chris Harkey and 3rd Juan Manuel Sandoval. And while there is no disputing the results, on the very day of the race the team that fielded the 2nd and 3rd place finishers Guinness Acros Smiling Meats Cycling Team was disqualified and ordered to return the prizes that it won along with a five thousand dollar fine.
They were disqualified because they supposedly registered a professional Mexican rider by the name of Jose Manuel Garcia Ponce who took 7th place in the race. But what the association thought happened, really didn't happen and the association has since retracted its ruling. But according to team manager Matthew Smiling the damage is done and today he went public to try and reverse that.
Smiling adds that while there has been a retraction he is now asking for a public apology from the Cycling Association.
