Abraham takes leader’s jersey

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Emile Abraham rode like a man possessed yesterday to convincingly win the fourth stage of the Tobago International Cycling Classic and snatch the overall lead heading into today’s final stanza. It is the first time in several years that the defending champion holds the advantage going into the gruelling Tour of Tobago and is expected to get a stiff challenge from his Toshiba teammate Eric Murphy, one of the best climbers in the business. Yesterday Abraham left the pack in the first lap of the Vita Malt seven-lap 150 lap circuit event and was never headed. He won in two hours, 55 minutes and 49.31 seconds with Murphy second in 2.58.32:41.

Third was another Toshiba cyclist, Hugh Moran followed by Canadian rider Joe Giuliano in fourth, Harold Bergerof Austria, fifth, and Jason Sager of the Toshiba team, sixth. All three were credited with the same time —- 3.01.33:59. Overall Abraham, Trinidad and Tobago’s national road race champion heads the pack in 6.31.10:81 with Murphy a close second (6.31.11:29) and Moran (6.34.49:50) in third. Fourth is Giuliano (6.3-4.53:87) with Berger (6.3-5.53:61) fifth and Sager (6.36.57:63) sixth. Yesterday Robert Camps, a former national road race champion and Race Director said the final stage promises to be very exciting with the race still wide open.

“When you look at the overall results, four minutes separate the first five riders. Emile looks very good but will have to watch Murphy who is an excellent climber,” said Camps yesterday. “Today Emile rode with a plan knowing fully well he had to make up ground and he left the bunch early and was never headed. In the final lap he was leading by four minutes but this was cut by Murphy to one and a half minutes. But in the final five miles Emile could not be stopped,” Camps said. Today’s stage is a gruelling 120-km Tour of Tobago starting at 8 am at Crown Point. It will be steep climbs on mountainous terrain with Category One, Two and Three climbs.