Cycling: Season Opening Races - Arrisol starts off with two wins |30 January 2017

Ahmad Arrisol, who has been Seychelles’ best cyclist in recent years, has begun the new cycling season with two wins from the first two races held on Saturday and on Sunday.

The first race of the 2017 cycling season was a classical road race, sponsored by Land Marine Ltd, where Arrisol was very much dominant over the 123.4km journey.

This race begun at the New Port near the Land Marine offices and took the cyclists towards the Roche Tortue monument at Pointe Larue, where they headed back up to the Eden Island Roundabout, making a U-turn to then head back south, via the Providence Highway. They kept along the coast all the way to Takamaka and up to Port Launay, still along the coastal road. From Port Launay, they headed back south up to Anse Boileau where they went across Les Canelles to Anse Royale to finally make their way back to where the race began.

After 3 hours, 19 minutes and 23 seconds (3h 19.23), Arissol crossed the finish line to pick up his first win of the season.

Almost ten minutes later (3h 28.28), Eldrick Roucou became the second man across the line, followed very closely by Stephan Belle (3h 28.29).

In this race, it was Velo Club de l’Ouest who were the best team, with a total time of 10h 17.29, while Adam’s Cycling Club were the runner-up with a cumulative time of 10h, 36.24.

Race number two of the season took place yesterday morning and it was a 26km individual time trial. The race started at Roche Caiman, near the Palais des Sports, where the cyclists had to go up twice towards the Roche Tortue monument via the Providence highway and back to the start line.

Arissol was once more the fastest of the lot, finishing with a time of 37 minutes and 44 seconds (37.44) to win the race and add another 60 points to his overall classification tally. Dominic Arrisol was second with a time of 37.53, while Fadi Confiance, who is always among the podium finishers in such races was third with a time of 38.34.

In this race, it was Adam’s Cycling Club who had the best overall time, with 1h 55.34. Velo Club de l’Ouest were second with a time of 1h 57.27.

The results send Arissol top of the classification table with 120 points, with Eldrick Roucou following with 62 points.

S.N