Panamanian Carlos Samudio was crowned champion in the elite race of the Central American Road Cycling Championships, held in Costa Rica, after a race marked by a breakaway of more than 100 kilometers, which also included his compatriot Bolívar Espinosa and Costa Rican Luis Oses.
The decisive moment came in the final stretch, when the Panamanian attacked with one kilometer to go, crossing the line solo to secure the gold medal. Panama completed a positive day with Espinosa’s third-place finish, as he managed to maintain the pace of the leading group to take the bronze medal.
The main event of the Central American Road Cycling Championships began with a field of 23 riders representing Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, all aiming for the gold medal on the 167-kilometer course between Liberia, Cañas, back to Liberia, and again to Cañas, finishing with a 22-kilometer climb to Tilarán.
As expected, Costa Rica and Panama, with full teams, started the race, setting the pace from the first few kilometers. However, it was Luis López (Honduras) who formed the first breakaway of the day, followed by Sebastián Calderón (Costa Rica), Roberto González (Panama), and Julio Ispaché (Guatemala). They were quickly joined by Donovan Ramírez (Costa Rica), Bredio Ruíz (Panama), and Henry Sam (Guatemala), but they were caught 40 minutes later thanks to a move from the peloton by Panamanians Carlos Samudio and Franklin Archibold, marked by Luis Daniel Oses and Joseph Ramírez.
The day’s breakaway was established after 70 kilometers of racing and began to gain ground on the peloton, which was being led by Guatemala. Guatemala was trying to get one of its riders to the front of the race after dealing with a mechanical problem for Mardoqueo Vásquez, while Costa Rica and Panama pinned their hopes of victory on the three escapees.
Bolívar Espinoza took on the role of domestique within the breakaway, supporting his teammate Carlos Samudio, while Luis Daniel Oses conserved his energy for the climb to Tilarán, which began with a six-minute gap over the peloton, with Guatemala consistently at the front.
Finally, with 1,000 meters to go, Carlos Samudio launched his decisive attack, leaving Luis Daniel Oses with no answer and beating him by 24 seconds at the finish line. Bolívar Espinoza completed the Panamanian victory, taking the bronze medal 1 minute and 20 seconds behind. Panama extended its dominance in the Central American race, celebrating its sixth victory in the event’s history and its fourth consecutive win.
In addition to the sporting result, the performance allows Panama to continue accumulating points in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) ranking, key in the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Costa Rica took the overall title at the Central American Road Cycling Championships held in Guanacaste Province, with a haul of 14 medals across the Junior, Under-23, and Elite categories.
🏆 Men’s Elite Road Race Podium (167 km)
🥇 Carlos Samudio 🇵🇦 Panama 4:25:10
🥈 Luis Daniel Oses 🇨🇷 Costa Rica +0:24
🥉 Bolívar Espinoza 🇵🇦 Panama +1:20
Source: www.prensa.com