Blackgrove wins Tobago Cycle Classic

But he failed to secure the overall title, finishing third overall.

That honour went to New Zealand’s Heath Blackgrove.

Abraham who completed the third stage in fifth position and the fourth in 20th, produced a determined performance in the 120 kilometres ride which took the cyclists throughout the streets of the sister-isle, to win the stage in a time of three hours, 41 minutes and 20 seconds.

The Tobago-born rider was, however, later voted the most outstanding sprinter as well as the most outstanding Caribbean cyclist.

Abraham said afterwards that he was generally satisfied with his performance throughout the cycle classic.

He explained that yesterday’s stage was good for him because he rode his own race.

“When I got to Speyside I knew I had a very good chance of winning the stage because I had competed pretty well with people like Blackgrove on the mountains,” Abraham told Newsday after winning the stage yesterday.

Blackgrove’s victory in the cycle classic was a culmination of a series of excellent performances in the region. It began with the Newsday Republic Day Cycle Classic a week ago at King George V Park, St Clair, and it followed with a number of successful rides at the different stages of the Tobago cycle event.

The New Zealander finished the stage in third position but had already opened up a wide enough lead in the previous stages for the overall win.

Afterwards he too was adjudged the most outstanding overall rider as well as the king of the mountains.

Blackgrove who finished a disappointing tenth in the fourth stage the day before, still held the pole position going into the final stage, and his victory was almost a formality.

Germany’s Timo Scholz secured the runner-up position in the final stage to be second overall.

His countryman Jonas Schmeiser was fourth in the stage and fourth overall. Trinidad and Tobago’s multi-talented teenager Garvyn Nero was voted best junior cyclist.