And so....that’s the race. But the aftermath is a whole other story....and the question everyone wanted an answer to was: “why didn’t a Belizean win?” Everyone has a theory, and Keith Swift spoke with all the major players in the race to try and distil all those perspectives into a single narrative. Here’s what he got.

Keith Swift Reporting,
Belizeans were hungry for a win.

Woman #1,
“I want the Belizean to win.”

Woman #2,
“Once a Belizean win we happy.”

But those hopes were dashed at the finish line at the Memorial Park when Guatemalan Miguel Perez, riding for Sugar City, glided across in 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 22 seconds to claim the garland.

Miguel Perez, Winner - Cross Country Classic
“I thank all my team Sugar City, my family, I thank all the people in Belize. I feel good and I am happy, very happy for this victory.”

What wasn’t humble was this image of Perez getting stoned with a pint bottle as he rode near the Central American Boulevard Roundabout. He wasn’t hurt and didn’t seem bothered.

Keith Swift,
“Somebody you stoned you today with a pint bottle?”

Miguel Perez,
“I don’t know….this is insignificant for me. I feel good. My heart is good, my person is good, and no problem.”

But one cyclist who was bothered is the normally calm Marlon Castillo. He placed fourth and was the first Belizean to cross the finish line but that was no consolation.

Marlon Castillo, 4th Place
“We came with a plan into this race. The plan worked out as how it was planned but I am just disappointed in my own people; the sponsor of the next team. Every time I moved eight foreigners were on me. Actually I can’t, I won’t bring no foreigner to catch my team mate to make a next team win. I feel good that I came fourth but I am not comfortable with the position.”

Some of that anger from Marlon Castillo was towards his former Team Santino’s team mate Greg Lovell.

Keith Swift,
“They are saying you and Greg Lovell could have actually helped each other coming on to the end. What went wrong there?”

Marlon Castillo,
“I told him, one spell me, he, and a next foreigner for him and I told him to make us work it. I told him once my man the come they will stop but you have to work and they didn’t want to work and I won’t chase down my own foreigner, my own team mate.”

Keith Swift,
“How big on your mind was that $10,000 bonus prize if a Belizean won?”

Marlon Castillo,
“Well I put out all of my effort.”

Lovell who placed 5th says he tried his best and has no regrets.

Greg Lovell, 5th Place
“The attack really started seriously and the American was working really hard and I told him just to bring it to the tape but I was trying to bring it home for my country and the attack started with the Guatemalan and the American. They started to team up on me, two foreigners, I tried really hard to close it in and they started to attack me one after the next and that took a lot out of me. I didn’t want them to go any further and I kept it close but then Marlon and a group of Team Zamir came across at mile 4 and attacked. I just tried to hold on and do my best but I was cramping up and I did my best and was disappointed.”

Keith Swift,
“How big a factor was that $10,000 bonus prize money on your mind?”

Greg Lovell,
“Well I wasn’t thinking about the money, I just wanted to win the garland. If I won it would be shared among my team. I wasn’t worried about the money."

And while Greggie and Marlon finished in the top five, Geovanni Froggie Leslie says he could have won the race but didn’t even finish it because he claims he was disqualified.

Geovanni Froggie Leslie, Team Santino’s
“I disqualified because I was going to take a bike from another team. I know that is a rule but you don’t do those things to the man who will bring home the bacon for the country. You don’t do those things. That is wrong. Any way you take it that is wrong. He could have fined me, he could relegate me, but let me finish the race. He doesn’t know the amount of hours I put in, the amount of days I put in to ride this race and to get myself in condition. That is lone foolishness. And I want everybody to know I was right there, I would have won this race. Marlon’s fourth place is nothing. Marlon wouldn’t have beat me today. Miguel Perez wouldn’t have beat me either. I nuh the ride next year. I stop ride. I want them to take my name off their roster or what they have. I won’t ride in Panama for them and I don’t want to ride nothing for them. They can go to hell for all I care.”

Quinton Hamilton and Brandon Cattouse did finish in 14th and 18th place respectively.

Quinton Hamilton, 14th Place
“I think I did better during the race but nobody wants to hear about during the race, people want to hear about the finish.”

Keith Swift,
“Are you disappointed?”

Quinton Hamilton,
“A little because I didn’t the chance that I wanted and I had a little obstacle in the last 50 miles of the race but I tried but nothing beats a try than a failure so I just have to wait until next year.”

Keith Swift,
“What little obstacle?”

Quinton Hamilton,
“Just a slight team tactic didn’t work out well and a little misunderstanding but next time we will capitalize on it, on our mistake.”

Brandon Cattouse, 18th place
“I expected it to be hard but I did my best. I came out about 18th, somewhere in the top 20. I am not disappointed because this is the fourth Cross Country I’ve ridden and the first I’ve finished so I feel good about that.”

But the Belizean rider with the most reasons to celebrate is 18 year old Edward Chris Reyes. This was his first senior Cross Country and he finished in 40th place.

Edward Reyes, 40th Place
“This is my first year as a senior and this is my first year moving up. I feel good because I did what many senior guys can’t do so I feel pretty good about it.”

Keith Swift,
“How do you feel about the fact that a Belizean didn’t win?”

Edward Reyes,
“Well kind of disappointed but hopefully next year I can be the Belizean to win.”

A small victory for Reyes but not the ultimate one for the country.

For his first place finish, Guatemalan Miguel Perez took home five thousand dollars in cash, four trophies, and that most coveted prize, the garland. Second place finisher Venezuelan Wilmen Bravo took home three thousand dollars in cash and, for third, American John Delong took home two thousand dollars in cash. As we noted at the top, foreign riders took eight of the top ten spots, and comprised ten of the top fifteen finishers.

95 riders started the race, and 46 finished. 19 of that 95 were foreigners, 17 of them finished, and ten of them finished in the top 12. No records were broken and the finishing time of six hours nine minutes was 28 minutes slower than the record set in 2005. It was also eight minutes slower than last year’s finish.

So, that’s it for Cross Country 2010, there are 382 days to go before the next one. ”Can a Belizean win it?” – Thankfully, we won’t have to ask that question again until April of 2011.