CHAMP CALMA: Guam’s Joyce Calma wins the Guam National Championship during the Tour of Guam Dec. 11, 2022, in Hagåtña. Matt Weiss/The Guam Daily Post GUAM PROFESSIONAL CYCLING: Euro Cycling Trips, Guam’s only professional cycling team, from left, Edward Oinerang, Peter Lombard, Simeon Green, Dan Aponik, Blayde Blas, Niels Verdijck and Guillaume Soula gather Dec. 11, 2022, after completing the 2022 Tour of Guam in Hagåtña. Matt Weiss/The Guam Daily Post There was no denying Joyce Calma a third straight Guam Cycling Federation national championship, as she powered through the 105-kilometer Tour of Guam course in 3 hours, 53 minutes, 7.3 seconds, around eight minutes faster than she ever had before.
“I trained for this day,” said Calma, fighting to catch her breath and experiencing cramps after crossing the finish line in Hagåtña.
For 20-year-old Blayde Blas, who has only been cycling for about two years, he became Guam’s youngest national champion.
“It feels amazing!” said Blas, who finished in 3:04:59.0. “All the hard work and training paid off. … I was happy to finish with a high placing on the race and I have my eyes set to next year and I’m ready to take on the next challenges.”
Blas, still new to the sport, said that tackling Guam’s grueling elevations was challenging, but he more than made up for any lost time on the straightaways.
“Most of the riders are really strong on the climbs,” Blas said. “Fighting through the climbs was really hard just to keep up with the group. But […]
Continue reading the original article at: www.postguam.com