St Croix’s Triple Bypass Road Race was filled with surprises, from unpredictable weather conditions to the absence of several regular participants and the presence of some new faces. Among the competitors was Drew Hairston, a para cyclist who will represent the Virgin Islands at the Para World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, next month.
Due to ragged road conditions, the course for the Elite group was shortened from four laps to three, making the race about 45 miles long. For the first two laps, Stephen Swanton, Alex Betancourt and David Morales rode together, while newcomer Victor Diggs rode solo. During the first lap, Hairston encountered a mechanical issue while climbing the Christiansted Bypass, forcing him to withdraw from the Elite race.
On the third lap, after passing Tipperary, Swanton launched an attack at Southgate, with Betancourt following, leaving Morales behind. With about 8 miles to go, at the foot of the bypass, Swanton surged again, and Betancourt was unable to keep up. Swanton finished first with a time of 2:11:46, over 3 minutes ahead of Betancourt (2:14:54). Morales secured third place, finishing over three minutes behind Betancourt with a time of 2:18:06.
The Expert group, as always, kept spectators on the edge of their seats. A group of five riders completed the first lap together before splitting into three groups on the second and final lap. James Bates emerged victorious in the 30-mile race, finishing in 1:32:57 after dropping Ted Prosper on the Boy Scout stretch. Prosper came in second, while Joey Swanson narrowly outsprinted Jerry Remie for third place.
Xander Morales continued to dominate the Sport category with his youth and impressive speed, clocking the fastest lap time of the entire race and finishing the 15-mile course in 44:03. Guy Augustin and Joseph Thomas took second and third places, respectively.
The Masters and Women divisions were the fourth group to start, completing the one-lap course that began and ended at the former Milgie’s on Route 624. Ernst Schuster finished first with a time of 55:08, followed by Nelson Rojas and James Matthew in second and third, respectively. Jody Goodrich, the lone female cyclist, put in a commendable effort, riding solo throughout the race.
The Junior cyclists were the final division to take on the 15-mile course. Logan Keys, age 15, crossed the finish line first with a time of 50:14. Randy Williams, age 14, finished second in 55:06, with Kenji Nieves, age 14, close behind in third. A special thanks goes to Jamie Keys for escorting the Juniors during their race.
The Virgin Islands Cycling Federation (VICF) will conclude the competitive season with the VI Championship Time Trial on Saturday, Sept. 14, followed by the VI Championship Road Race on Sunday, Sept. 15. Please help spread the word!
Additionally, the America’s Paradise Challenge is fast approaching on Oct. 13. If anyone would like to become a sponsor or volunteer at the event, please contact 513-2707.
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Triple Bypass Road Race (Start/Finish: Milgie’s Rt. 624 — August 25, 2024; hot, wet)
Virgin Islands Cycling Federation
Elite 45.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1Stephen Swanton 2:11:46
2Alex Betancourt 2:14:54
3David Morales 2:18:06
4Victor Diggs 3:25:51
Drew Hairston DNF
Expert 30.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1James Bates 1:32:57
2Ted Prosper 1:33:09
3Joey Swanson 1:33:20
4Jerry Remie 1:33:24
5Norbert Prospere 1:35:32
6Miguel Cruz 1:45:19
7Esther Ellis 1:45:20
Sport 15.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1Xander Morales 0:44:03
2Guy Augustin 0:48:01
3Joseph Thomas 0:48:02
4Ralph Bartlett 0:53:02
5Yves Abraham 0:55:54
6Archile Barbel 0:56:05
Women 15.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1Jody Goodrich 1:01:54
Masters 15.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1Ernst Schuster 0:55:08
2Nelson Rojas 0:55:58
3James Matthew 1:00:21
Juniors 15.0 miles TOTAL TIME
1Logan Keys 0:50:14
2Randy Williams 0:55:06 0:55:06
3Kenji Nieves 1:05:20
Photo credit can be to Jerlyn O’Donnell since I took them! I’m Joseph’s daughter. Thank you!
I took the first 3 photos 🙂