Frenchman Payen wins Caricom Road Race

Eleven of the 22 riders who faced the starter for Sunday’s CARICOM Road Race at the weekend failed to finish, some due to exceptional circumstances. Cyclists from four territories engaged on the 86-kilometre circuit, from the Castries Waterfront to the Choc-Union Roundabout and back 10 times. The race was funded by the Regional Integration Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. Benjamin Payen finished first overall. The Under-23 rider from Martinique finished the course in 2:12:43, an average time of 38.8 kilometres per hour. Another Frenchman, Yohann Pierre Louis, was just over six minutes back, his time 2:19:03, whilst right behind him was the first Saint Lucia across the line, the veteran Winston ‘Stoney’ Williams, in 2:19:10. Williams will be 54 this year. Elite rider Trevor Bailey was the first from St Vincent & the Grenadines, ending fourth in 2:22:30. Barbados’ Daniel Lashley finished fifth overall, and second in the Under-19 category, behind Pierre Louis. Saint Lucia’s top junior rider, Denver Alphonse Jr, crossed the tape in 2:22:49, narrowly missing out a on a podium spot in the U19 division. Fourth there, he was also seventh overall. Ten of the 14 local cyclists were unable to...