The Men's Elite Road Race brought the week-long 2023 Pan American Road Championships to a thrilling end, with participants completing a challenging 204.8-kilometer course of rolling terrain.
The route, which had previously hosted the time trials earlier in the week and the road races for the Women Elite and Under 23 Men categories, proved to be a grueling test of endurance and stamina for the elite male cyclists. The scorching 90-degree heat was an additional obstacle that slowly whittled down the field of 108 competitors from various countries across the Americas over the course of nearly five hours of intense racing.
Bermuda's cyclists put in a strong showing at the 2023 Pan American Road Championships, with Conor White finishing in 19th place in the Men Elite. The race saw a late breakaway of eight riders clinch the podium positions, leaving the peloton to battle it out in a group sprint for the line.
Kaden Hopkins, who had earlier secured a Bronze Medal and a spot for Bermuda at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, suffered cramps and finished behind the peloton. Meanwhile, Dominique Mayho had to withdraw from the race but had contributed significantly to the team's efforts in the first half of the day.
Despite the challenges, the team performed admirably, with Bermuda Bicycle Association’s President, Peter Dunne lauding their achievements. "Bermuda will leave Panama having achieved plenty of the goals for this event," he said.
Dunne explained, "For Nicholas Narraway and Liam Flannery, they were tested at a new level which demonstrated that they are more than just former teen cycling sensations and are continuing in the style of their older teammates. For Conyers and Arnold, we have two women who have come away with solid racing which will contribute to their next joint performance at CAC Games in late June. And based on their outstanding time trial results both Hopkins and White secured spots for Bermuda at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago in Chile this fall.”
The 2023 Pan American Road Championships served as a testament to the depth of Bermuda's cycling talent, as the team's top athletes came together to demonstrate their skills and represent their country with pride.
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