Image
ARLENIS SIERRA, PAN AMERICAN ROAD CYCLING CHAMPION
The Cuban cyclist won her second gold medal in this kind of individual events. She won the first in Guadalajara 2011.
Mexico’s finest. Before talking to the media, and with the gold medal hanging in her neck, the two-times Pan American individual cycling champion (Guadalajara 2011 and Lima 2019), Cuban Arlenis Sierra broke the protocols and run to the security fence to celebrate with the crowd, hugging and taking pictures with Peruvian fans that came early in the morning to the finish line area to support the athletes.
“Everything in Lima 2019 is amazing: the support and kindness of the people, the excellent organization of the Organizing Committee showed in the care and security they took for athletes, at the Pan American Village and competition venues, always aware of what we needed. I think that shows a high commitment to sport,” she said.
Today, everything was a success: the people's attendance since 08:00 at the Costa Verde, from Magadalena to Chorrillos, to support athletes; the security provided by the National Police of Peru (PNP) along the competition course and the support of Lima 2019 volunteers, that helped by providing information about spectators’ areas.
Only two days ago, a small rockfall affected the individual road cycling course. However, this incident did not trouble the competition as the Organizing Committee activated its emergency protocols so everything could continue as planned.
The women’s individual race started with a pack that took the lead of the competition. Peruvian representatives, Cynthia Davila and Luddy Fernandez were into this pack, but as competitors completed laps, Chile, Canada, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago took the lead. Although this group lead most of the race, at the final stage when legs start to feel the pain of pedaling after 80 km, the Cuban Arlenis Sierra, 2018 Pan American champion and Guadalajara 2011 gold medal, proved why she is the best.
The 33 competitors rode five laps to complete the 80 km of the competition, which starting and finish lines were located the Sucre exit, located near the Virgen del Inmaculado Corazon at the last block of Avenida Brasil.
After two hours and nineteen minutes, the first one to cross the finish line was the Cuban athlete, followed by the cyclist from Trinidad and Tobago, Teniel Campbell, and the bronze medal was won by the Mexican Lizbeth Salazar Vasquez.