The 80th running of the Cross Country Cycling Classic is Saturday but there is an important change in this year’s race that you need to know. For the first time since 1995 - the 144 mile race will not be concluding at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. The Belize Amateur Cycling Association confirmed the change to 7NEWS today. The race will now finish in front of the Memorial Park. President Gerald Garbutt says the race has been diverted because the Marion Jones Complex is unsafe.
Gerald Garbutt, President – Cycling Association
“The Marion Jones is not ready, it is not safe. That is the information I picked up from the new Minister of Sports. The bleachers, they are not safe, he told me that the Chief Engineer and the Engineer at the Ministry of Works was telling them that it is not safe and I can’t take nobody into a place if it is not safe.”
Keith Swift,
Does that change the length of the race significantly?
Gerald Garbutt,
“No, not much. It changes a little but not much to talk about. But the location is the best location that we are talking about for logistics and for the benefit of the police and everything, because we will control the crowd inside the park. The Memorial Park is properly fenced and then we will have barriers on the other side of the seawall.”
Keith Swift,
In Marion Jones Stadium there are bleachers and so people can get a good vantage point. What about at the Memorial Park?
Gerald Garbutt,
“Oh yes. They will get a very good vantage point. As a matter of fact along that sea wall I expect people will line up orderly and with the assistance from the Police Department, everything will go smooth because we have a long stretch of what we call sea front and also in the Memorial Park we have a lot of areas that can anyone can have a good look at it.”
For context – the race hasn’t always been ending at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Prior to 1995 – the race for the garland has ended in downtown Belize City and on Yabra Road – among other places. The cyclists will test-ride the route to the Memorial Park on Thursday evening. More than 100 riders are expected to compete in the race and so there is no shortage of contenders but there is a shortage of prizes. Garbutt says the Cycling Association is still appealing to the business community and the general public to donate prizes.
