In April, a Mexican rider grabbed the garland in Belize’s male cross country, and yesterday a Guatemalan woman snagged first place in the female Cross Country. For many Belizeans, it’s a sad end, but most in cycling circles will tell you it wasn’t much of a race ANYWAY because Paola Salazar walked away from the rest of the field shortly after the race started in San Ignacio and never looked back. When it ended at the Memorial Park in Belize City the Team Sagitun import finished nine minutes eight seconds ahead of the pack and had claimed every single station prize. It was a dominating performance but an unimpressive one, because the winner averaged about 18 miles an hour – which is considered very slow, and was way off the record. So then, why couldn’t anyone with a Belizean passport catch her? That’s what we tried to find out.

Paola Sanchez, 1st Place (Sagitun)
“It is a really nice country, people cheering and I am really loving this country.”

Question,
“What do you think about the breeze, I know you climb a lot in the mountains of Guatemala in the high altitude, must be a bit different for you today, much like training ride?

Paola Sanchez,
“In the hills I felt good. The last fifteen miles was kind of windy but I had to just keep it going going to the finish line.”

Question,
“Congratulations Paula, I understand the second group of nine riders were 7 minutes behind you. Did you ever imagine you would open that sort of gap riding on your own, into a stiff breeze, and what did you think of the damage today you did on the road?”

Paola Sanchez,
“Well it was not only by myself. I had my team helping me, Shalini and Nicole, they were in that group helping me, trying to let me go. So it wasn’t just all by myself. I had a team helping me.”

Kwame Scott,
“Gina early in this race you all saw Paula Salazar escaping out of the twelve woman group. You chose not to make an attempt to go with her. Why?”

Gina Lovell, 2nd Place (Lovell)
“I guess because we had two teams behind, I was the only one who decided to just sit back and probably the two teams would work and catch her. But again it was like a déjà vu to 2007, the same as the Mexican when I left her and she walked away. So I guess it is my fault and our fault on that behalf. To be honest I am not satisfied, even though I do all the work. These girls can be do better. I guess they are playing cat and mouse, you know and they watch each other. So the two months training that I had, I guess I put in enough and so I don’t mind if I came in last place. I know I tried hard enough. So yes I am disappointed in a way and yes I am happy in that part.”

Marinette Flowers, 4th Place (Unattached)
“I begged them, I begged the Belizeans, I begged the team and they didn’t want to help me. I don’t know if they are scared of me but I wasn’t scared of them. I am very proud of myself and I feel confidence in myself. I know I am really strong, I don’t have much mileage but it seems that every time we come into this race, no one wants to chase and I always have to do all the work when I am riding and I think I get enough of it because no Belizeans want to chase. Some of the foreigners don’t want to chase but as you make a move they are there.”

Shalini Zabaneh, 3rd Place (Sagitun)
“I was just a big target and I knew that it would come down to that and pretty much I sacrificed for the team. I also wanted to teach the Belizean sitters a lesson. I am all about it is a team sport and I am all about my team-mates and I can sacrifice one Cross Country or two or three – it doesn’t matter. It is just a race to me and the win is the important thing.”

Jules Vasquez,
Marinette, she was trying to organize something out there on the road but no one wanted to work and so they couldn’t do a proper chase. What is your perception of what happened out there on the road?

Shalini Zabaneh,
“Typical Belizean style of riding, just sit and wait for the sprint and they’ll settle for second. But second place is the first loser so I am all about the win.”

Jules Vasquez,
But certainly for Belizeans, they want a Belizean across the line first.

Shalini Zabaneh,
“Yeah well maybe the Belizeans have to learn that it is a team sport.”

And that team Sagitun claimed two of the first three positions – and if you’re wondering why four women were there gathering prizes, it’s because there was a tie for third between Shalini Zabaneh and Lori Harkey. For her first place finish, Paola Salazar won two thousand in cash and a trophy plus the garland. For second, Gina Lovell won one thousand dollars and a trophy and Shalini Zabaneh and Lori Harkey won $700 each.