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By now you probably already know that Guatemalan Miguel Perez won the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. In fact, foreign riders thoroughly dominated Belize's most prized sporting event, securing eight of the top ten finishing positions. But that disheartening bottom line doesn't tell the full story of a dramatic race, tightly contested by Belizean cyclists who were not content to simply sit back this year – they attacked early on, in the middle and almost made it at the end – but once again fell short. While Channel 7 and KREM had five teams and seven cameras deployed all along the route for live coverage of the race, our motorbike team of Codie Noralez and Jose Gomez got closest to the action – and here's the story of a memorable race from the road.

Jules Vasquez Reporting,
In the soft light before six at the starting line, former champs Gustavo Carrillo and Chris Harkey exchanged notes. The most recent Belizean champion Shane Vasquez who did it in 2006 had on his game face. The 2001 champ Jawmaine Meighan was at the line, as was the 1994 winner Bunaz Mejia.

And while they have all had a garland around their necks, Jose Choto has not and neither has Froggy Leslie nor Marlon Castillo – three young cyclists who carried Belize's hopes on their bikes on this Holy Saturday.

At 6:00 am, they set off on another ride into history, the familiar sound of the bugle fuelled the adrenaline rush. Early on Belizean Rodrigo Leiva took the first station prize at Old Belize. At mile 10 – Panamanian Christian Mcneesh took that station prize and rolling through Hattieville the main peloton was still bunched together.

Somewhere around mile 17, the first major move of the day features veteran Mateo Cruz of Team Zamir, Byron Pope, Benny's Megabytes, Mexican Donicetti Vasquez Depradores, George Arbaham Junior Benny's Megabytes and Edward Reyes, Team Santino's. This 5 man breakaway easily established themselves. At Rockville the lead 5 is still intact at the Belize zoo the 5 remained intact with veteran Mateo Cruz on the pace.

And then around mile 38 there were four as George Abraham was dropped. At the Belmopan cutoff, Byron Pope briefly breaks away from the four to claim the thousand dollar cash station prize. Around Warrie Head, we have a new configuration as the Mexican Rider for Triple A Loan – Omar Garcia has joined the group.

At the infamous Mount Hope where there was a 500 dollar prize, fans were waiting expectantly. Mexican Omar Garcia easily won the station prize and Edward Reyes, labouring is not too far behind. About two minutes later, a four man chase is being led over Mount Hope by Jose Choto. And at Foral Park heading toward Cayo – the lead duo remains the same the Mexican Omar Garcia and the surprising Edward Reyes

At the halfway point in San Ignacio at the Hawksworth Bridge – a huge group of spectators gathered. And they saw that the lead duo has been caught by two riders from Team Zamir, Venezuelan Gil Cordovez and and an American rider, John De Long riding for Subaru Gary Fisher. The crossed the bridge in 2:38:23 which is seven minutes off the record.

Just under two minutes later the main peloton arrived led by Ernest Jawmaine Meighan. At Galen University – Venezuelan Gil Cordovez takes the prize as the lead four head toward Belize City. At go slow on the return the lead group appears to be struggling but they are leading still led by John Delong.

Inside Unitedville, the lead group is now 5 as a single rider, Allen Castillo riding for Team Typhoon has now joined the breakaway. As they rode through the village of Ontario the lead five are still together, but their lead is less than a minute.

Coming around brick wall on the return – the lead group remains 5 men strong at this time led by Allen Castillo. Just about one minute behind, the main pelaton marches on. At the Belmopan cutoff, the lead group of 5 is still intact led by Allen Castillo. Less than a minute later, Gregory Lovell And Jose Choto are trying to catch up.

And less than a minute later, a group of 6 is chasing. It includes, Costa Rican Marconi Duran, Quinton Hamilton, Byron pope, De'andy Ordonez, Miguel Perez, and Roger Troyer. Around mile 47, there's a complete merger, the lead group has now been caught by Lovell and Choto as well as the six man group – that includes Hamilton, Troyer, and Ordonez. That group of 13 Stayed together for some miles.

But Around mile 34 we have a new configuration: American John Delong, Mexican Hector Hugo Rangel, Costa Rican Marconi Duran, Guatemalan Miguel Perez and Gregory Lovell have broken away and are headed towards Belize City. Around mile 33, Rangel turns up the pace, Costa Rican Marconi Duran doesn't seem to be able to hang on – so the breakaway is now down to four.

Around mile 32, Rangel takes up the challenge and begins to lead the breakaway in an effort to bring in his team-mate Gregory Lovell. At mile 31, the lead group of four led by Hector Hugo Rangel is opening the time gap with insistent pacing while the chase group is being led by Gil Cordovez.

At Rockville, the Mexican easily wins the station prize with team-mate Gregory Lovell right on his wheel. Rangel in the lead leaves just enough space for Lovell on his wheel forcing the two riders who are also in the slipstream to the extreme edge of the road, what riders call the gutter. But they hang in there and around mile 17, the official time check shows that the first chase group, comprising Quinton Hamilton is three minutes nineteen seconds behind and a group of about 9 riders is three minutes thirty three seconds behind and the main pack is almost five minutes behind.

At Hattieville the lead group of four is still in the same layout led by the tireless Hector Hugo Rangel. Three minutes later Quinton Hamilton is still in pursuit while less than a minute later the chase group is now down to 6 led by Jose Choto. At mile 13 the configuration for the lead four remains the same, with Rangel, still pacing for Gregory Lovell.

Around mile nine, the same four are in the lead, but the intensity has visibly diminished –and lurking in the back Miguel Perez in the green jersey has not done any pacing for over twenty miles – and has just basically been getting a free ride

At Burdon Canal Bridge around mile 6, Miguel Perez finally gets up and decides to test the legs of the other three riders and Hector Hugo Rangel – after twenty seven miles of pacing shows that he's human after all.

But a little less than a minute behind is a group of four that wasn't there before – this includes Guatemalan Luis Santizo, Venezuealan Wilmen Bravo, Mexican Donicetti Vasquez and Marlon Castillo who has come from far behind. Note the intensity of this chase group as they are about to catch up with Rangel.

Around mile 5, the lead trio, Lovell, Perez and Delong are caught – so the lead group is now 8. Just after the police checkpoint, Donicetti Vasquez launches an attack – Marlon Castillo tracks him down and follows with an attack of his own but after 20 meters Marlon realizes that it's not so easy.

30 seconds later, Guatemalan Miguel Perez on the left hand side of the screen launches an attack – De Long follows. Marlon Castillo and the rest can't match him. And he's on the run – all alone with only the road stretching out before him. At Faber's Road junction, Miguel Perez although struggling continues to lead while Venezuelan Wilmen Bravo has also broken away from the group

At Leslie's Imports, Miguel Perez shows no signs of letting up. Coming into Belize City through the Cemetery, Perez is on a heavy gear as the crowds gather, not cheering but the din of frustration is palpable.

Frustration turns nasty as At the Gwen Liz speedbump, one man throws a bottle into the road – it hits Perez's bike but does not damage him or it. Here it is again in slow motion – the pint come from behind the man who is waving the black shirt. Unfortunate but ultimately inconsequential as the Guatemalan rider continues through the city streets all alone – all the while being jeered by onlookers on Princess Margaret Drive he looks back but there's nobody there.

And just so at the finish line where he rocks the baby to sleep – as he sails in all alone. Wilmen Bravo was second. In a sprint, john Delong of the USA Beat Out Marlon Castillo for third and Greg Lovell was fifth.