IRONSHORE, St James — Colombian Jonathan Alexander Guatibonza Becerra won Friday’s first leg of the fourth staging of the Jamaican International Cycling Classic that started and ended in Ironshore after a 122-kilometre loop to Falmouth and back. Becerra completed the race in a time of two hours 47.37 seconds.

The 21-year-old of the Nu Colombia team, who was visiting Jamaica for the first time, crossed the finish line just ahead of fellow Colombian Robigzon Leonardo Oyola (2:47.41) of Team Medellin. Derrick Chavarria of Belize, riding for G-Flow team, was third in 2:47.43.

Jaequan Dixon, 19, of Elevation Cycling was the top Jamaican in 10th place overall with 2:47.47, the same time credited to his teammate Jerome Forrest. Andrew Ramsay of AVR Racing was 13th overall, also with the same time.

Guatibonza Becerra, who has won stages of the Vuelta a Colombia in 2023 and also Vuelta al Tachira in Venezuela, was happy with his win, describing the course as “hot and fast”.

He told the Jamaica Observer: “I am happy with the win, it was hard.”

He said the cyclists had to contend with vehicular traffic at some stages of the course, but added: “My team worked very hard and we are happy for the victory.”

Nu Colombia leads the team rankings after the first stage with a combined time of 8:23.25, just ahead of Tow by Us (8:23.26) with AVR Racing next with 8:23.27.

Defending champions Team Medellin are seventh among the 13 teams that finished on the first day.

Three riders were deemed to have “abandoned the race”, because they did not finish the course, while Jamaicans Issa Hibbert and Bradley McFarlane finished outside the cut-off time set by the organisers.

The second stage on Saturday will be to Discovery Bay, St Ann, and back, starting at 8:00 am.

— Paul A Reid