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Thursday, July 17, 2025
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Urcel Claims Second Stage as Hopkins Falls Back
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Damien Urcel (Team Madras Capesterre Belle-Eau) has secured his second consecutive stage victory at the Tour de Marie-Galante, winning a demanding 157.7-kilometre third stage between Grand-Bourg and Capesterr.
Urcel triumphed in a sprint finish, clocking a time of 3 hours, 43 minutes, and 7 seconds, ahead of overall yellow jersey holder Benjamin Le Ny (Team CAMA CCD) and Cyril Bourdon (Guidon Sprinter Canalien Cycling Team).
The stage proved to be another formidable test for the riders, featuring eight challenging climbs including Morne la Vierge, Wack, and Morne Lolo. From the outset in Grand-Bourg, several riders attempted to break away, setting a high pace for the peloton.
Early in the race, a quartet, including Bermuda's Kaden Hopkins (USL), the initial yellow jersey wearer, formed at the front alongside Yannis Agricole (USL), Julien Chane Foc (TMCBE), and Loïc Laviolette (Excelsior). This group initially looked strong, but the challenging terrain and relentless pace eventually took their toll on Hopkins.
As the race progressed, the leading group evolved, with a strong contingent of approximately twenty riders, including Urcel, Clavier (CCD), Le Ny, Deloumeaux (JCA), and Le Cunff (TMCBE) — all the tour's key contenders — pushing the pace. Notably, the previous yellow jersey holder, Hopkins, was not among them.
Hopkins eventually finished the stage in 28th place, clocking 3 hours, 53 minutes, and 33 seconds, a significant 10 minutes and 26 seconds behind stage winner Urcel.
This challenging day sees Hopkins drop to 29th in the overall standings, with an aggregate time of 7 hours, 57 minutes, and 12 seconds. He now trails the new yellow jersey holder, Benjamin Le Ny, by 20 minutes and 7 seconds. Le Ny maintains his overall lead with a time of 7 hours, 37 minutes, and 5 seconds, solidifying his position at the top of the general classification.
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Thursday, July 17, 2025
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Horsfield Tackles Whistler Canada Cup Finishes 21st
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Bermuda's Mountain Bike National Champion Robin Horsfield was back in action on the international mountain biking circuit, competing in the highly-regarded Whistler Canada Cup XCO and UCI XCO Junior Series 2025. The event, a significant fixture in cross-country mountain biking, draws top talent globally to test endurance, technical skills, and speed.
Competing in the demanding Men's Elite race, Horsfield put in a determined effort, ultimately finishing in 21st position. He completed the race two laps down on the leader.
The Men's Elite race was won by Canada's Leandre Bouchard, who demonstrated a dominant performance to cross the finish line in a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes, and 20 seconds.
While not the result he might have hoped for, competing at events of this calibre provides invaluable experience for Horsfield as he continues to push himself against some of the world's best cross-country mountain bikers. He will now look to build on this performance in his upcoming races on the Canada Cup circuit.
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Wednesday, July 16, 2025
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Hopkins Falls in Tour de Marie-Galante Stage Two
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 Hopkins Yellow Jersey IslandStats.com
The French Overseas Champion outpaced Esneider Baez and Benjamin Le Ny, both from Team CAMA CCD, at the finish line. Crucially, Le Ny's strong performance saw him snatch the coveted yellow jersey, becoming the new overall leader of the event.
The stage proved to be a significant test for the peloton, including Bermuda's Kaden Hopkins, who had been the Stage One winner and leader coming into the day. Riders offered a compelling spectacle to cycling fans throughout the long and challenging course.
After approximately an hour of racing, a decisive leading group of ten riders began to establish a gap. As the race wore on, this front group saw considerable changes in its composition, eventually settling at around twenty riders. This strong contingent included Urcel, Clavier (CCD), Le Ny, Deloumeaux (JCA), and Le Cunff (TMCBE) – effectively all the key contenders in the tour.
Notably absent from this leading pack was the yellow jersey holder, Hopkins (USL). The Bermudian ultimately finished the stage in 39th position, clocking a time of 3 hours, 56 minutes, and 32 seconds, a significant 10 minutes and 1 second behind the stage winner.
This result means Hopkins now hands over the overall lead to Benjamin Le Ny, whose consistent performance sees him take the yellow jersey with an aggregate time of 3 hours, 53 minutes, and 58 seconds.
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Tuesday, July 15, 2025
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Hopkins Takes Early Lead in Tour de Marie-Galante
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Cyclist Kaden Hopkins, representing US Lamentin, has made a sensational start to the 47th edition of the Tour de Marie-Galante, claiming victory in the prologue. The 6.3-kilometre Individual Time Trial, stretching between Capesterre and Saint-Louis in Guadeloupe, saw Hopkins deliver a dominant performance to establish himself as the early frontrunner.
Hopkins clocked an impressive time of 7 minutes and 7.15 seconds, showcasing his strength and precision over the short but challenging course. His powerful ride put him clear of a strong field, securing him the coveted yellow jersey as the first leader of the Elite and Open 1-2-3 event.
Finishing second was Kévin Le Cunff of Team Madras Capesterre Belle-Eau, who crossed the line 9.03 seconds behind Hopkins with a time of 7:16.18. Philgy Palmiste from CSCA Propreté 2000 rounded out the top three, clocking 7:19.64, which was 12.49 seconds adrift of the Bermudian's winning pace.
This prologue victory means Hopkins now leads the six-day Tour Cycliste de Marie-Galante, a demanding race that will cover a total distance of 723 kilometres across the "Great Galette" island. His strong opening statement will provide a significant confidence boost as the peloton prepares for the challenging stages that lie ahead. All eyes will now be on Hopkins to see if he can maintain his lead and contend for the overall title.
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Friday, July 11, 2025
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White Secures Top-20 Finish in Guildford Criterium
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Bermudian cyclist Conor White was back in competitive action this week, taking on a strong field in the Cycle Exchange Guildford Open Grand Prix Criterium.
A total of 65 riders lined up at the start, making for a challenging and fast-paced one-day race. White put in a solid performance, navigating the technical circuit to finish in 16th place with a time of 51 minutes and 10 seconds.
He crossed the line just 59 seconds behind the winner, Milo Wills, who clocked an impressive 50 minutes and 11 seconds. White's top-20 finish in such a competitive UK criterium event, known for its high pace and demanding profile, adds valuable experience as he continues his European racing calendar.
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