Serbian captures Tobago Cycle Classic

Stevic who went into the final stage with a huge lead of four minutes yesterday, finished 19th but had done enough in the previous stages to secure the victory.

The team Angostura rider completed the final stage in a time of three hours, 24 minutes and 26 seconds, and as a result copped the overall Tobago Classic in an impressive time of 13 hours, 32 minutes and 32 seconds.

Stevic, a teammate of Trinidad and Tobago’s Emile Abraham had only the day before claimed second place in the third stage but took the lead through a series of extremely impressive performances.

The enterprising Papstein Bjorn of Lamonta Germany won the final stage yesterday and in the process earned fourth position overall.

Bjorn, a first-timer got out to a flying start in the final ride yesterday and took that lead to the finish. He had signalled a warning to his opponents with a series of impressive performances previously, and yesterday he effectively utilised an early-break strategy to telling effect.

The German was almost caught on the final stretch by Abraham but had enough gas in the tank to take him across the finish line and win the stage in 3:24.01.

Bjorn also collected a 15-second bonus deduction completing the four-day event in 13:38.27.

And to add to his successes, Bjorn was later named the best sprint and mountain cyclist of the race.

Abraham meanwhile rode the race of his life to secure the runners-up position in the stage in 3:24.16 — a time that earned him the ninth overall and the first Trinidad and Tobago cyclist to complete the race in 13:51.37.

Patrick Reidesser of Apo Sport Austria completed the top three in the final stage when he finished in a bunch in a time of 3:24.21.

Some ten cyclists including Reidesser and more were bunched together yesterday as they attempted to catch the leading two — Papstein Bjorn and Emile Abraham on the final stretch.

Reidesser however edged out front to earn himself third and an overall second in 13:37.37. Hugh Moran who rode for Team Angostura finished fourth overall but was not among the top five finishers in the last stage.

Like Stevic, he had completed a series of good times throughout the event which also proved good enough for third overall.

German Timo Scholz finished a well deserved fifth yesterday and the same place in the overall standings.

He completed the stage in an impressive 3:24.26, riding for Team Akud,for overall time of 13:38.34, while his countryman Weigold Steffen of Lamonta Germany was fourth in yesterday’s stage in 3:24.26.

Afterwards he was awarded with the overall sixth place finish in a time of 13:38.56.

Among the locals Guy Costa was 12th overall in 14:05.01 while David Alves was the third local to finish and the 23rd rider overall in 14:38.41.

Steven Rambaran was 30th in the race while Stephen Mangroo did not contest the final stage as he failed to complete the third stage the day before.

Team Angostura got the award for the Best Team in the four days of competition while Germany’s Apo Sport was second.