Challenging Performance for Guadeloupean Riders at the Belize Championships

Earlier in October, Guadeloupe sent a mixed squad to compete in the Caribbean Championships in Belize. Under the guidance of coach Gilles Suarez, the regional committee selected two strong all-around male riders, Jeremy Deloumeaux and Benjamin Le Ny, and on the women’s side, the standout athlete of the past two seasons, Bérénice Paul.

The competition was divided into two events: the time trial and the road race. Last season, Paul had excelled in both, taking gold in the time trial and bronze in the road race.
However, things did not go as expected in Belize. The Guadeloupean rider delivered an underwhelming performance.

“I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t hit my target wattage—I completely missed my effort,” she said at the end of the race.

Eager to redeem herself, she lined up for the road race with renewed motivation. But her reputation worked against her: no team was willing to collaborate and form a breakaway. Forced to wait for the right opportunity, she made a costly mistake.

“When I saw that nobody wanted to work together, I thought I chose the right moment to ease off and take on some food, but that’s exactly when a group went off the front. Luckily, I noticed quickly and chased, but I spent a lot of energy.”

Paul crossed the finish line in fourth place, narrowly missing the podium.

No Better Outcome for the Men

On paper, Benjamin Le Ny and Jérémy Deloumeaux were well suited to the terrain in Belize. Both strong riders, they were considered capable of working together to create a breakaway. Yet once again, things did not unfold as planned.

Like Paul, Benjamin was looking to rebound after being disqualified in the time trial.
Focused and alert, he responded to the first decisive move.

“I tried to follow every attack. Four of us went off the front, and I didn’t pull so Jérémy could come back. Then a large group caught up, and after looking back I realized Jérémy wasn’t there. At that point, I decided to save energy for a possible sprint finish.”

With seven kilometers to go, Le Ny made his move and bridged up in an effort to secure at least a bronze medal. His strategy paid off, and he crossed the line behind Belizean rider Oscar Quiroz and Dominican rider Germoso Rudy Alexander, who took the win.

Complications Beyond Performance
While the Guadeloupean squad did everything they could to bring home a medal, their efforts were also hindered by logistical issues, including problems with bikes and overall internal organization.