Cycling: National Championship |23 August 2023

The 125km road race podium (Photo: Contributed)

Ahmad Arissol and Jean-Yves Souyave share championship victories

Ahmad Arissol of the Vélo Club de l’Ouest and Jean-Yves Souyave representing the North Coast Riders registered one victory apiece during the two weekend races, which counted as this year’s national championship.

Arissol, who just returned from a three-month training camp in South Africa, clinched the 26.8km individual time trial, while Souyave emerged victorious in the 130km road race.

In the individual time trial, Arissol clocked 36 minutes 10.35 seconds (36:10.35) to finish first, while Souyave completed the road race in 3 hours 37 minutes 05 seconds (3h37:05).

A total of 16 riders were on the starting line for the 26.8km individual time trial where Mario Ernesta of the North Coast Riders (NCR) finished second in 36:51.67, ahead of teammate Souyave who was third in 37:04.34.

Jayden Sinon of the Vélo Club de l’Ouest (VCDL) finished fourth overall in 37:12.57, crossing the finishing line ahead of Jahdel Gabriel who also rides for the VCDL (37:18.79).

Bertrand Lesperance, who rides for the Option Max Cycling Club (OMCC), was fifth overall in 37:32.43, finishing ahead of Dominic Arrisol of the One Shot Pain Cycling Club (OSPCC) who was sixth overall in 37:41.36.

Stephen Belle of the VCDL was the seventh cyclist to cross the finishing line in 38:01.57, ahead of Johan Monthy of the OMCC who finished eighth overall in 39:08.69.

Julian Pool of the NCR finished ninth overall in 39:25.22, ahead of 10th-placed Jeff Esparon of the OMCC.

In the ranking, Gabriel finished first in the junior category, ahead of Lauren Jacques of the VCDL Academy who was second in 41:49.52 (13th overall), while Chris Uzice, also of the VCDL Academy was third in 43:03.97 (15th overall).

In the cadet category, Trevor Malvina of the VCDL Academy finished first overall in 43:10.29 (16th overall).

For the 125km road race, only 10 cyclists managed to finish the course, with Arissol finishing second with the same time –

3h37:05 – as winner Souyave, following a sprint finish. Belle was third in 3h42:27, a time shared by Ernesta and Sinon who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Gabriel finished sixth overall in 3h42:28, ahead of Pool who was seventh in 3h52:26, the same time registered by Esparon who finished eighth overall.

Lesperance clocked 4h01:02 to finish ninth in the group, ahead of Uzice who was 10th overall in 4h07:43.

Roland Duval