Bermuda's Kaden Hopkins endured a nightmare day in the saddle as the 75th Tour Cycliste International de la Guadeloupe continued with a gruelling 136 km sixth stage from Orange Moudoung to Goyave.
Representing the Atom 6 Bikes - Cycleur de Luxe - Auto Stroo team, Hopkins crossed the finish line in 103rd place after clocking a time of 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 42 seconds—a performance heavily impacted by a brutal run of bad luck on the road.
Hopkins was plagued by two separate flat tyres during the stage. The initial puncture forced him into an unideal wheel change from a neutral support vehicle. Despite the setback, the Bermudian produced a ferocious chase to battle his way back into the main field.
However, his recovery was short-lived. Shortly after rejoining the race, Hopkins struck a deep pothole and suffered a second flat tyre. Although this time he was able to secure a replacement from his own team car, the heavy exertion of his earlier chase left him unable to bridge the gap back to the peloton.
Showing remarkable resolve, Hopkins toughed out the remaining miles solo to ensure he completed the stage.
Up front, the stage victory went to France's Clément Sanchez, who produced a dominant breakaway ride to stop the clock at 3:17:49—leaving a battle-worn Hopkins 34 minutes and 53 seconds adrift.
Following his brave effort into Goyave, Hopkins now sits 67th overall in the general classification with a cumulative time of 18 hours, 37 minutes, and 54 seconds as the multi-stage event heads into its final stretch.
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