Cross Country Cycling Classic
Year Winner Second Place
1990 ( April 14 ) Charles Lewis Ronald Sutherland
1991 ( March 30 ) Charles Lewis Christopher Eash United States
1992 ( April 18 ) Michael Lewis Leancy Gomez Cuba
1993 ( April 10 ) Collet Maheia Roque Matus
1994 ( April 2 ) Charles Lewis Bobby Lee United States
1995 ( April 15 ) Orlando Chavarria Gustavo Carillo Guatemala
1996 ( April 6 ) Chris Blake United States Gustavo Carillo Guatemala
1997 ( March 29 ) Ernest Meighan Bobby Lee United States
1998 ( April 11 ) Ben Barnard United States Gustavo Carillo Guatemala
1999 ( April 3 ) Chris Fredericks United States Steve Muejack United States
2000 ( April 22 ) Gustavo Carillo Guatemala Ben Jones United States
2001 ( April 14 ) Ernest Meighan Andrew Smiling
2002 ( March 30 ) Eduardo Uribe Mexico Gustavo Carillo Guatemala
2003 ( April 19 ) Chris Harkey United States Abel Jochola Guatemala
2004 ( April 10 ) Chris Harkey United States Shane Vasquez
2005 ( March 26 ) William Elliston United States Michael Lewis
2006 ( April 15 ) Shane Vasquez Jose Robles Colombia
2007 ( April 7 ) Boyd Johnson United States Anthony Taylor Jamaica / United States
2008 ( March 22 ) Ryan Baumann United States Michael Lewis
2009 ( April 11 ) Carlos Lopez Mexico Carlos Manuel Hernandez Mexico
History of the race -- 1990-present : Modern era
A panicky local Association restricted international competition in 1990 , turning the race into a sort of contest for a `` Great Belizean Hope '' to bring down the Americans . He turned out to be Charles Lewis , who smashed Zauner 's record and evoked memories of strong performances from previous champions . When McCannon led a team of Americans back to Belize in 1991 , the nation pinned its hopes on Lewis to defeat them . He came through , breaking his own record and restoring the nation 's pride . Lewis ' effort began a sort of Belizean `` renaissance '' that lasted through 1995 , as brother Michael , Collet `` Bunas '' Maheia , Orlando Chavarria and contenders Nigel Matus , Fred Usher and others defended Belize 's honor . Adding to the memories was a pair of exciting and controversial finishes . In 1993 , Roque Matus thought he had the race won , similar to Edward Miguel in 1961 , and stopped riding after crossing the finish line at the BTL Park ( formerly Ramada Park ) -only it was n't ; this allowed Maheia to attack and win . The line was apparently left over from municipal elections work earlier that year . In 1994 , the scene shifted south to the Yabra area . After Charles Lewis claimed first place over American Bobby Lee , brother Michael began the sprint for third- and crashed into a slow moving truck belonging to local communication company BTL and holding broadcasters from KREM FM covering the finish . The oncoming peloton could not avoid the melee and a huge spill developed which was blamed on the broadcasters . Since 1996 , international cyclists have dominated . Cyclists from the U.S. have won 8 Classics , Mexico and Guatemala three each , and Belize five . Two of those belong to Ernest Meighan ( 1997 , 2001 ) , one to Shane Vasquez ( 2006 ) and one to Giovanni Choto ( 2012 ) , while Darnell Barrow became the first Belizean to get back to back wins for Belize since 1995 . A pattern has developed of younger Belizean cyclists and expendable foreign ones leading the race early , dropping back into the peloton , then allowing fresher , stronger , more well-known cyclists to step forward . Most Belizean teams bring in foreign riders to participate , then have to defend themselves to the outraged public when a foreigner wins . But that foreign participation also introduces Belizeans to fresh talent and provides for a real test of Belizean cyclists ' capabilities . In both 2007 and 2008 , for instance , Team Western Spirit of Cayo brought in American Boyd Johnson to help defend the title . After two failed breaks on the return journey in cool weather , a nine-man field entered the Complex ; in such circumstances defending champion Vasquez would have no advantage in a sprint . Vasquez led most of the last two laps but then made way for Johnson to win the sprint and the title , while he finished ninth . Save for Roger Troyer of Team Sagitun , no Belizean finished higher than fifth . The course record was lowered to 5 hours , 47 minutes , 23 seconds . [ 2 ] In 2008 's race , foreigners dominated the Belmopan to Cayo section of the race as Guatemalans and Americans combined to lead breaks into Roaring Creek , where U.S. National under-23 rider Ryan Baumann left the field in a dominant solo run to the City . Notable is that due to construction projects at the MJSC which started this year and would continue for the next few years , this year 's race finished on the Marine Parade Boulevard near Memorial Park . The course record was lowered to 5 hours , 40 minutes , 12 seconds . On April 11 , 2009 , the cyclists pushed forward in sunny , dry conditions and a steady southeast breeze to Cayo . Mexican Antonio Rios and Costa Rican Marco Salas outran the field after an early breakaway and led the pack in and out of San Ignacio to Belmopan . Around mile 38 , a group of six began what would become the final run to the City , including Belizean hopefuls Jose Choto and Giovanni Leslie . However , Mexicans Carlos Lopez and Carlos Manuel Hernandez left the pack around mile 12 and sprinted 1-2 to the Memorial Park , with Cuba 's Frank Travieso taking third . Lopez became the first Mexican to win since 2002 and only the third overall . Belize 's run of futility was extended to four years . Mexicans Omar Garcia and Donizetti Vasquez dominated the first leg of the 2010 race on April 3 , but on the return , the Belizean heavyweights hit back . Eventually , Guatemala 's Miguel Perez and Venezuela 's Wilmen Bravo led a group of eight into the City and Perez claimed Guatemala 's first win since Gustavo Carillo in 2000 . In 2011 , it was a Guatemalan one-two , as Luis Santizo stunned fellow Guatemalan Carlos Hernandez and Belize 's main hope Darnell Barrow with a solo break after playing possum in the final thirty miles as they fended off attacks from Shane Vasquez and Chris Harkey , a former winner . But in 2012 , Giovanni Choto would end the Belizean run of futility as he stood up for 134 miles , 75 of them alone , staying out in front all day and earning himself a place in the annals of history . One year later , it was a cat-and-mouse finish as no one group was able to dominate the field as in previous years . It ended with a sprint at the tape won by Darnell Barrow . The 2014 race saw a return to foreign domination , as a pack of six foreigners including returning second-place winner Magallanes dumped the Belizean field and rode to the tape , where Magallanes edged out Padilla Miranda and Florencio Ramos . Cross Country Classic Winners 1990–present
The Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic is a one-day amateur cycling race held in Belize every year during the Easter holidays. It is Belize's biggest cycling event and has begun to be recognized internationally.