Martin wins Tan Holdings bike race

Jonathan Martin of Guam is all smiles as he comes in first overall in the 50th Tan Holdings Anniversary Road/MTB Bike Race held from Banzai Cliff in Marpi last Saturday. (LEIGH GASES)

Guam resident Jonathan Martin won the Tan Holdings 50th Anniversary Road/ MTB Bike Race from Banzai Cliff in Marpi last Saturday.

The event was in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary on Saipan and was a first in a series of athletic events to celebrate its anniversary.

With over 100 participants from beginners to veterans, the 36-year-old veteran cyclist who works in IT at Take Care Insurance in Guam, sped through the 50-km long course from Banzai Cliff to Seafix in Tanapag, then back to Banzai Cliff again with a time of just 1:20:14.

He was followed by Joel Buco who came in at 1:24:25. Fred Remillosa completed the Top 3 at a mere millisecond after Buco at 1:24:26.

Along with the overall road bike long course event, the overall male MTB winner was Nap Dizon, the 2017 Hell of Marianas winner, clocking in at 1:25:53. For the 30-39-year-old age group, Michael Aparte dominated. Leo Wania, bronze medalist in the triathlon event of the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022, topped the 40-49 year old age group. In the 50-54-year-old age group, Raymund Tolentino bagged first place, while Edmundo Bata topped the 55-59-year-old age group. Finally, in the 60 years old and up age group, Danny Calvo came out on top.

Martin was seen after the race, ecstatic and taking photos with fellow cyclists and was asked how he felt about winning the overall men’s category.

“First of all, I want to congratulate and thank the race organizers, Tan Holdings and Ricky Castro, for putting this race together. They did a really good job. There was lots of support from the event spectators- everything was all perfect,” said Martin.

About the race itself, he said that it was “more challenging” for him because the course was more “flat” rather than the climbs that he’s used to. He said, “with flat races, a lot more folks can draft in the race, so I had to figure out a way to get away or separate. So on the first lap, once it started to separate, I took advantage of that. And I was just trying to hold my pace the whole time and that’s how it all happened.”

He added that after winning, he said that he was “excited… it’s like you got to take what you can get right? Especially as you get older, so you got to enjoy every moment because the next generation is going to be coming and those are the guys that [will be] shining when they get their chance.”

Martin represented Guam along with fellow cyclists and competed on Saipan at the 2017 Hell of the Marianas, clinching team Guam’s top spot with a time of ​​3:44:42.

The women’s results will be reported in the coming issues of Saipan Tribune.

Up next in the 50th celebration of Tan Holdings, there will be a walkathon starting at the Garapan Fishing Base at 6:30am on Monday, Sept. 5, and at 4pm from the POI Aviation building in Airport Road.