Cycling: National Championship - Double triumph for Ahmad Arissol |07 November 2014

Life Cycle’s Ahmad Arissol is Seychelles’ number one cyclist for this year, succeeding Dominic Arrisol.
Last weekend there was double triumph for Ahmad Arissol as he won the National Championship to consolidate first place on the individual classification for the year 2014 with 1,140 points accumulated over 42 races.

Arissol won the three-race National Championship with a cumulative time of 3 hours 31 minutes 33 seconds (3h31:33) despite not winning any of the races.
With a time of 32 minutes 50.310 seconds, he was fourth in the first stage – a 40km individual time trial on the Providence Highway – won by young Xerxes Larue of the Classic Design team in a time of 32 minutes 02.510 seconds.

In the second race – a 6.8km hill climb from the Bel Air junction to Sans Soucis – Arissol finished third in a time of 23 minutes 35.330 seconds, more than one minute slower than the time of 22 minutes 21.770 seconds registered by race winner Peter Alphonse who also rides for the Life Cycle team.
Alphonse’s time has gone done as a new record as he improved his previous best performance of 22:43.970 set on November 24, 2013. Larue, who was second, also finished inside the old record with 22 minutes 26.570 seconds.

While Bertrand Lesperance of Eco Riders triumphed in the third stage on Sunday – a 90.6km road race – in a time of 2 hours 35 minutes 07 seconds, Arissol finished second in 2 hours 35 minutes 08 seconds for a cumulative time of 3 hours 31 minutes 33 seconds which is worth first place overall.

Second overall in the National Championship is Lesperance with 3 hours 33 minutes 45 seconds, while Alphonse finished third with3 hours 36 minutes 24 seconds.

Alphonse is also the cadet champion for the year followed by Life Cycle’s Jean-Yves Souyave. In the junior category, Larue triumphed ahead of Journey Cycle’s Steven Belle.

Eleven cyclists took part in last weekend’s National Championship.
Classification winner with 1,140 points, senior rider Arissol was followed in second and third places by junior cyclist Fadi Confiance of Eco Riders (1,035 points) and Alphonse (977 points).

Runner-up Lesperance, winner Arissol and third place finisher Alphonse (from left to right) in a souvenir photo with National Sports Council chief executive Giovanna Rousseau and Sportswoman of the Year Clementina Agricole

National Championship results

First stage – 40km individual time trial
1st Xerxes Larue 32 minutes 02.510 seconds
2nd Fadi Confiance 32 minutes 23.470 seconds
3rd Ricky Rosalie 32 minutes 31.680 seconds
 
Second stage – 6.8km hill climb
1st Peter Alphonse 22 minutes 21.770 seconds (New record, previous record of 22:43.970 was set by Alphonse himself on 24/11/2013)
2nd Xerxes Larue 22 minutes 26.570 seconds
3rd Ahmad Arissol 23 minutes 35.330 seconds
 
Third stage – 90.6km road race
1st Bertrand Lesperance 2 hours 35 minutes 07 seconds
2nd Ahmad Arissol 2 hours 35 minutes 08 seconds
3rd Francis Louis 2 hours 40 minutes 24 seconds
 
Overall winner
1st Ahmad Arissol 3 hours 31 minutes 33 seconds 00 seconds
2nd Bertrand Lesperance 3 hours 33 minutes 45 seconds
3rd Peter Alphonse 3 hours 36 minutes 24 seconds
 
 
National Championship winners
2014: Ahmad Arissol
2013: Dominic Arrisol
2012:  Edward Pothin
2011: Hedson Mathieu
2010: Andy Rose
2009: Andy Rose
2008: Francis Louis
2007: Hedson Mathieu
2006: Hedson Mathieu
2005: Hedson Mathieu
2004: Hedson Mathieu
2003: Hedson Mathieu
2002: Andy Rose
2001: Hedson Mathieu
2000: Hedson Mathieu
1999: Hedson Mathieu
1998: Hedson Mathieu
1997: Hedson Mathieu
1996: Garry Gappy
1995: Gilbert Figaro
1994: Lucas Georges
1993: Gustave Siméon
1992: Lucas Georges
1991: Lucas Georges
1990: Sam Rignace
1989: Lucas Georges
1988: Lucas Georges
1987: Sam Rignace
1986: Sam Rignace
1985: Roland Hoareau

G. G.