TECHNICAL GUIDE 2018 CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC TUESDAY MARCH 20 – MONDAY MARCH 26 BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA

SETTING Belize is the crown jewel of Central America. Just to the south of Mexico, it's bordered to the west and south by Guatemala and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. With 22,800 square feet of land, and measuring approximately 180 miles long and 68 miles wide, it is nearly identical in size to New Jersey.

That said, the population is small; the size of a small major US city, at just 347,000 (think Anaheim or Honolulu). Though its growth rate is the second highest in the Western Hemisphere, it still has the lowest population density in Central America.

The inhabitants are made up primarily of the Garifuna and Mayan cultures, along with a large contingent of American ex-pats seeking a comfortable retirement destination.

Cycling is their most popular sport, and they have a thriving community of recreational and racers, with a huge passion for it.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BELIZE

-While Belize is tropical and inviting, it is still a third world country, and suffers some issues that reflect that. So despite the natural beauty and inviting culture it offers, it lacks in some of the comforts normal to a first world country.

-English is the official language, along with Creole, and is widely spoken.

-As with any international destination, a passport is required to obtain entrance .

-US dollars are widely accepted, and there is generally no need to exchange currency. If you'd like to exchange, the rate is generally 2:1; and there are several large banking institutions with branches accessible in every region.

-Health care is on par with other Central American countries, but below the standards of the US and Europe. There are a few larger hospitals in the city, and nearly every region has very basic medical services available. Costs are generally quite low; often, payment is expected at time of services; and insurance acceptance varies according to your provider’s guidelines.

-Phone service is some of the best in Central America, with good cell service in most regions. Some cell phones may work, if they are unlocked and have a new SIM card installed. Additionally, pre-paid phone cards are available, and quite inexpensive. That said, be sure to check with your cell service provider for details on international rates.

-Internet service is also available in most regions, and at our home base (though, from experience, once you step out of the rooms, it can drop out on you).

-The average temperature for April ranges between 76-85 degrees Fahrenheit, and, as it’s into the dry season, rainfall is less than 4 inches for the month. It's a sub-tropical climate, so sunscreen is a must! SPF 50 is suggested.

-As its sub-tropical, there are also some bugs. Insect spray is another suggested item to bring.

-As with most Central American countries, the tap water is hit and miss. Some places in Belize do have good drinking water from the tap, but the best bet is sticking with bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, etc. Bottled water is cheap and easy to get, so that is always the best bet to be safe.

COSTS: $975 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED -Airport pick-up and drop-off -Bike assembly/bike tear-down -All bike maintenance/cleaning -Housing -Race entry -DS and full race staff -Professionally supported event

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED -Airfare and bike fees -Food -Ride food/drink

LOGISTICS We will spend most our time based out of San Ignacio, in the . San Ignacio is one of the western most towns in Belize, 115km from Belize City, and just 15km from the Guatemalan border. Often characterized as a ‘wild west’ sort of town for its dry and dusty feel, it’s one of the safest places in Belize and has a laid back and relaxed atmosphere. San Ignacio is the home of most of the country’s ex-pats, and is also where most of the country’s tourism is based from

Burns Street, downtown San Ignacio San Ignacio in the foreground

In San Ignacio, we’ll be staying at one of the favorite local spots, Hode’s Place. Hode’s is a small family run restaurant and hotel tucked away on Savannah St, and is just a 3 minute walk to the center of town.

Hode’s restaurant view from Savannah St. The hotel portion is just out of view to the rear right.

The bedrooms are simple, quiet and very clean. They have daily cleaning available, and laundry.

All rooms have A/C, TV, and wireless internet.

Dining area at Hode’s is relaxed. Friday evenings, it’s the hotspot in town: cheap food, cheap rum, and Belikin Beer.

On Sunday the 25 th , we’ll stay at the Radisson Fort George in Belize City. The Radisson is managed by one of Belize’s most successful master’s cyclists, and Michigan native, Jim Scott. The Radisson sits just blocks away from the race finish on Marine Parade Blvd.

View of the main entrance. Among several of their dining options are Le Petit Café, with some of the best coffee and baked goods in the city, as well as Bayman’s Tavern which offers great food and deck seating with a relaxing view of the ocean.

DIRECTOR Bill Elliston- Bill has over 30 years of cycling and racing experience, spending several years as a professional, logging victories home and abroad, including the 2005 Holy Saturday Cross Country in Belize. He also has over 10 years coaching experience, working with clients of all abilities, beginner to professional. Additionally, he’s run multiple USA Cycling Talent ID and Development Camps; directed multiple teams at UCI events; and co-headed a US State Department Program on Cycling Training for the Belize Cycling Association.

Bill has extensive experience riding in Belize: he’s competed in 6 editions of the Cross Country (winning in 2005; 13 th in 2015; 5 th in 2016; 6 th in 2017 ), 2 editions of the M&M Engineering Tour of Belize (winning a stage and the overall KOM Jersey in 2006), and the Loma Luz Circuit Race. He’s also led a week long training camp for the Chicago based PSIMET Women’s Racing Team.

ADDITIONAL STAFF Giovanni Alamilla- Giovanni is an experienced service crew leader, and headed our crew last year. A Belize native, Giovanni is the President of the Belize Triathlon Association and secretary of the Belize Olympic and Commonwealth games Association. He’ll be driving our team caravan car.

Zahir Figurea- Zahir is another Belize native and former elite cyclist who’s won medals at the Junior Caribbean Championships. Zahir will be driving car 2 in the caravan.

Combined, their intimate knowledge of the roads and terrain will aid us greatly for feeding and any service needs.

SCHEDULE Tuesday March 20: Arrivals in Belize. Flights generally arrive early afternoon, so we’ll collect all the bikes and luggage and head west to our lodging in San Ignacio, with a lunch stop at Cheers (31 miles/50km west of Belize City) along the way.

Wednesday March 21: Ride the entire race route; approximately 5.5 hrs total time / 4.5 hrs actual ride time. This will give us an intimate and up-close look at the course, and preview of what to expect along the way including identifying QOM sprints, premes, and places of critical note.

We’ll have a follow van with coolers and plenty of bottles and food (as well as a few stops along the way). The van will also provide us with transport back to San Ignacio with a lunch stop at either a location in the city, or once again at Cheers.

Thursday March 22**: Rest day. Optional easy spin for anyone looking to shake the legs out a bit. Also optional are massages: there is a great local massage service right by Hode’s that can be arranged at athlete’s expense.

Friday March 23**: Explore some of Belize’s great attractions. Some options are: -Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins. These are very close-by, located on the southern side of San Ignacio town, high above Victor Galves Stadium

-Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. These are a short drive west of San Ignacio, towards Guatemala, in the Village of San Jose Succotz

-Belize Zoo. The zoo is approx. a 1 hr drive from San Ignacio. It offers some very rare animals native to Belize, including the infamous howler monkeys.

-Hopkins. Hopkins is approx. a 2 hr drive from San Ignacio, and offers some of the best beach areas in Belize. The added bonus is the beauty of the drive along the Hummingbird Highway, which travels the lower slopes of the Mayan Mountains.

**: we can switch Thurs and Fri dependent on the group mood.

Saturday March 24: Openers. Length optional, as this is based on each athlete’s personal preference and needs.

Team meeting, including: tactics, expectations, review of support, etc. Sunday March 25: RACE! Race will start at 8am, so we’ll plan breakfast accordingly.

Monday March 26: Departures. As we’ll be staying at the Radisson right in the city, just 11 miles from the airport, we can have a relaxed morning before heading to the airport.

PACKING TIPS: -It’s warm. You don’t need anything…anything…long sleeved.

Casual wear: -shorts -t-shirts -flip flops -sneakers (for potential tours/hikes)

Riding gear: -team will race in Amy D kit, so please be sure to bring at least one of those -bib shorts (2-3 pr) -ss jerseys (2-3) -socks (2-3 pr) -cycling shoes -sunglasses (a must with the sun!) -gloves (some bumpy roads) -sunscreen. SPF50 recommended (trust me, you’ll still get tan...); 35 at a minimum -6 water bottles -Any drink mix and ride food you may want*.

*You can get some of those items in Belize, but you’ll pay a (big) premium for it. I’d suggest bringing plenty. More than you think you need.

-Also bring a small backpack for our route recon ride, to be able to have a towel and street clothes to change in to.

RACE As this is an International race, there are a few things you will need: -Passport -USAC International Racing License -Foreign Permission Letter *THESE ARE ALL MUST HAVE ITEMS: YOU CAN NOT TRAVEL TO BELIZE WITHOUT A PASSPORT, AND YOU CANNOT RACE WITHOUT BOTH AN INTERNATIONAL LICENSE AND FOREIGN PERMISSION LETTER. NO EXCEPTIONS.* The Belize Cross Country Classic is a traditional point-to-point road race. At a total length of approximately 72 miles (116km), and 1185 feet (361 meters) of elevation, it starts from the western town of San Ignacio, in the Cayo district, and close to the Guatemala border. It travels the George Price Highway (more commonly known as the Western Highway) into Belize City, and to the finish at scenic BTL Park along the ocean. From San Ignacio, the first 23~ miles (38km) to the Junction are the most rolling, and also offer some rougher terrain. As the road climbs the last incline of any note, from Belmopan Junction up to the Hector Silva Airstrip, and George Price Boulevard, it turns much flatter but yet with many subtle false-flats to come. It also becomes much more exposed and open to the wind. Generally speaking, the spring winds produce head-wind to cross head-wind conditions the entire way. While during the first 38km it can feel more sheltered and subtle, the winds become a primary obstacle for the remaining 78km. The roundabout at Hattieville (named for Hurricane Hattie, which wreaked havoc on Belize in 1961), at approximately 27km to go, generally sees the wind at its worst for the final run in. Once into the outskirts of Belize City, the race goes ½ way around the roundabout by Fabers Road and the cutoff to the Northern Highway. Past the cemetery to the next roundabout, and ¾ around, which puts you onto Central American Boulevard. Across the Belcan Bridge and ½ way around the next roundabout, and on to Princess Margaret Drive. This winds past several landmarks including the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital (the biggest hospital in Belize), St John’s College, and Marion Jones Stadium (which hosted the race finish up until construction improvements in 2008 or so). At this point Princess Margaret Drive becomes Barracks Road and winds along the water, passing several tourist casinos and hotels, en route to its finish at the beautiful BTL Park. Here is the complete route may via Map My Ride: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1374873076 EQUIPMENT -Make sure your equipment is in very good working order. Replacement parts, bar tape, chains, etc., are difficult to come by there so it is imperative your equipment is in good condition.

-A spare replaceable hanger for your specific bike. This is one of the most easily damaged pieces, so having a spare on hand is always a good idea.

-Reliable wheels are advised over light weight wheels.

-Spare set of wheels.

-Please affix wheels with 26T cassettes.

-Likewise, more reliable race or fast training tires are advised. Lightweight tires will be chewed up quickly on the heavy pavement in the earlier portion of the race.

-Within that, 25c width tires are advised as well. This will enable slightly lower pressure to make the ride more comfortable. (Recommended tire suggestions are Michelin Pro 4 Endurance, Continental GP 4000 SII or GP 4 Season; for tubulars, Continental Sprinters)

-Several spare tubes. We’ll have a frame pump and a floor pump.

-6 water bottles

ADDITIONAL RACE NOTES -There is likely to be anti-doping there. If you are on any medication at all, cross reference it with the USADA/WADA sites: http://www.usada.org/substances/supplement-411/ You can also easily reference banned/non banned substances at Global DRO: http://www.globaldro.org/home/index

DO NOT make the mistake of being ill prepared for this. You are responsible for what you ingest. Period. Come Jan 1 when the newest standards for the year are published, do your homework and follow through on any paperwork that may be necessary.

-As previously noted, the climate is sub-tropical; so, hot and humid. And the course offers very little in shade for nearly all of it. So, hydration is a critical component to the race. Plain water will not suffice, so you will need plenty of some sort of electrolyte replacement drink.

-The race has several competitions within: -Overall race itself -Station prizes (premes) -QOM -Incentive to break current record (3:07:29)

-2017 STAION PRIZE AND QOM; LOCATIONS/AMOUNTS/WINNERS

-20017 RESULTS

-RIDERS TO WATCH

-Alicia Thompson. Alicia is the 2017 and 2015 Champion, 2016 runner-up, 2016 QOM Champion, and current National TT Champion. A very good all-arounder, Alicia also has had the benefit of several dedicated teammates.

-Kaya Cattouse. Kaya is the 2016 Champion, and the current National RR Champion. She is a very capable all-around rider, with her biggest strengths being her sprint and mental tenacity. Biggest weakness is climbing.

-Patricia Chavaria. Patricia is well rounded but young, and her 2nd place finish last year was a breakthrough ride for the youngster. Also to her favor is her coach/father, Jocelyn, is himself a 1984 Olympian; and her older brother Jocelyn Jr, is one of the most promising U23 Belizean riders.

-Paulita Chavaria. The younger Chavaria, her strength is also as a worker. Endurance and sprinting are her weakness.

-Gina Lovell. A strong rider in her earlier days, who also comes from a family of successful cyclists, Gina was 5 th in 2016 in her first race back in some time.

Few Americans have done the race in the past, but those who have, have always left their mark. Because of the smaller women’s fields there (while cycling is big there, typical women’s fields of just Belizeans have been anywhere from 5-11), racing lacks the consistent aggressive nature of American racing, and is more a steady-state affair. As such, that is the style most riders there are used to, and can handle.

The exception to that is Kaya: she has had success in larger and more dynamic races in Mexico, Guatemala, and around the Caribbean, and is the most experience racer of the bunch.

Also factoring in to that racing style has been team dynamics: with few sponsors, there would be just a few teams with the few top riders. And tactics would be simple: 1-2 riders would simply set pace and control things for the leader to either make a push towards the finale; or take it to the line on a sprint.

As such, most of these riders are used to steady-state and struggle with repeated attacks. By bringing a more aggressive and attacking style to it, the race can play out much more favorably for us.

From current rumors, for 2018, there are/may be fewer teams, so more riders riding as independents. So while we don’t necessarily want to go in there with 5 riders all working as one tight unit, and destroy them (creating bad harmony all around), it certainly opens up the race to being a more dynamic and open affair.

ELLISTON COACHING WAIVER AND RELEASE

I acknowledge that training for and/or participating in cycling and bicycle racing is an extreme test of a person’s physical and mental limits and such training or participation poses potential risks of serious bodily injury, death, or property damage. With full understanding of the risks I am taking, I HEREBY ASSUME ALL THE RISKS OF TRAINING FOR AND PARTICIPATING IN SUCH EVENTS and agree to the following:

(Initial)_____ Elliston Coaching has been retained as a Ride Leader

(Initial)_____ I hereby attest that I am in good health and my physical condition has been verified by a licensed medical doctor.

(Initial)_____In consideration of Elliston Coaching being retained as Ride Leader, I hereby take the following action for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors and assigns, or anyone else who might claim or sue on my behalf: (a) I WAIVE, RELEASE, AND DISCHARGE from any and all claims, costs, or liabilities for death, personal injury or damages of any kind, which arise out of or relate to my training for or participation in a bicycling race or bicycling event of any nature, THE FOLLOWING PERSONS OR ENTITIES: Bill Elliston, Elliston Coaching, its officers, directors, employees, coaches, consultants, and agents of any of the above (collectively, “Elliston Coaching”); (b) I AGREE NOT TO SUE any of the persons or entities mentioned above for any of the claims, costs or liabilities that I have waived, released or discharged herein; and (c) I INDEMNIFY, DEFEND, and HOLD HARMLESS the persons or entities mentioned above from any claims made or liabilities assessed against them as a result of my actions except those resulting from the willful acts or gross negligence of Elliston Coaching.

(Initial)_____ I am solely responsible for my debits. I agree to pay collection fees, if my debits are 60 or more days overdue.

(Initial)_____ I agree to abide by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to litigate any disputes between myself (the Client) and Elliston Coaching within the legal jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

(Initial)_____ I AFFIRM THAT I AM EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, I HAVE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS.

Printed Name: ______

Signature: ______Date: ______

PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN SIGNATURE:

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