Tomorrow at 9 am, 120 cyclists will set out on a 5 day, six stage - 500 mile race across Belize in the sixth annual Tour of Belize. At the starting line tomorrow there will be Italians, Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, and other cyclists who will spend five days on Belize’s roads - riding through the hills of Cayo, the valleys of the south, and the flats of the north. There are 14 teams – 7 of them are foreign. The first leg is 130 miles – from San Cas Plaza to the Northern Border and back for the finish at the Shell One Stop Gas Station in Orange Walk Town. The tour’s public relations officer Kwame Scott says that’s just the start.
Kwame Scott, Tour of Belize Spokesman
“We will be seeing some of the best cycling ever seen in Belize. This is one of the deepest field of cyclists assembled including local and foreigners. We have teams from all over Central America, North America, and Mexico and even those teams are incorporated with foreigners. The team from Mexico – they even carry a Cuban on their schedule. There is also Team Santino which has on four Argentineans, Western Spirits feature an Italian and that sort of thing. So we will be seeing a combination of riders doing their things on all our major highways except the Southern Highway which goes all the way to the Punta Gorda. We will be going that way next year though.
You have to strategize over five days. You cannot exert all your energy on day one. And the teams have their nine members to spread over the five days. They have sprinters, they have racers, they have domestiques, they have climbers, and they have time trialists.”
Keith Swift,
Who are the people who are going to shine in the tour?
Kwame Scott,
“Well honestly we will have to wait and see. From a personal standpoint,
I am rooting for a Belizean and I think that Marlon Castillo is one of our brightest hopes. In addition to that I will be keeping my eyes looking to see what Team Tecos is made of, I know the Guatemalans are antsy in the hills, Team Nicaragua features a guy who finished fifth last year. He made his move in the hills so it’s a race full of science and dynamics Keith.”
And as Kwame Scott mentioned, all eyes will be on Marlon Castillo. He is the back to back champ and will be riding for Team Santino’s along with Geovanni Froggie Leslie who will be backed up by foreign riders. But Marlon is the star on the team and if you think the young phenom is pressured, you’re wrong. After winning two tours back to back, Castillo says this could be his ticket to turning pro.
Marlon Castillo, Defending Champ
“I noh really worry about it. When I reach out tomorrow we will let out all of those pressures we have.”
Keith Swift,
What is normally the hardest stage for you?
Marlon Castillo,
“Tomorrow is a very hard stage, tomorrow is 130 miles so it will be hot if it doesn’t rain, the road is very rough so we will feel the road pretty much. And the second to the last stage. Those are two stages which are rough. I want the support of my Belizeans, just come out and give me more courage to just come in and win for them. So I’ll do my best and without my fans, anyone can’t do without their fans so I need them to give me that extra boost coming in to the line.”
Keith Swift,
How important is this race to you?
Marlon Castillo,
“Well this race means a lot me because if I beat those guys – I’ve won it two times already and if I win it again, well I know my choice will be to go outside to turn pro because I’d be wasting my talent here if I stay in Belize. That is my next step. “
The other Belizean teams are Benny’s Megabiths, F & F Mountaineers, a team from Roaring Creek, Team C-Ray, Western Spirits, M&M Engineering, Team Red Bull, and again Team Santino. You can track the Tour of Belize here.
