Kaden Hopkins continued his strong showing at the Denis Manette Memorial in Guadeloupe, finishing amongst a leading group in a rain-soaked first stage, keeping him well-placed in the overall standings. The stage, raced over 112 kilometers around Petit-Canal, saw Loïc Laviolette of Excelsior claim victory in challenging conditions.
Laviolette battled through the rain to clock a winning time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 51 seconds. He crossed the line ahead of Jocelyn Pasquiet (Espoir du Sud) and Kenny Jean-Jacques (Team CAMA CCD), both of whom were credited with the same time.
Hopkins, representing US LAMENTIN, was part of a chasing group that finished just 25 seconds behind the stage winner. Hopkins was recorded with a time of 2:30:16, demonstrating his resilience in the difficult weather.
Following his prologue victory, Hopkins' strong finish in the opening road stage sees him maintain a prominent position in the general classification. He currently sits in 5th place overall with a total time of 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 2 seconds, just 18 seconds adrift of the overall leader Laviolette.
With further stages to come, Hopkins will be looking to capitalize on his strong start and challenge for the overall title in the Denis Manette Memorial. His consistent performances in both the time trial and the road race highlight his versatility and potential in this competitive event.
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