“Wasn’t Expecting It to Happen This Year” – 21-Year-Old Prodigy Defends Tour of Guam Title, Weaving an Unexpected Cycling Saga

The sun-soaked landscapes of Guam witnessed an unexpected victory of the 21-year-old cycling dynamo, Blayde Blas. Besides defending his Tour of Guam title, the cyclist had left the spectators in awe of his cycling prowess. The back-to-back victory tells a tale of determination and the resilient spirit of the cyclist.

Born in the year 2002, Blas had been a part of a notable team of the EuroCyclingTrips Pro Cycling Team and has the 43rd World Championships in the under-23 category of ITT in his possession. However, this title helped Blas to etch his name in the annals of cycling history. 

Blas’ surprising defense of the Guam title

While giving his best in an attempt to defend the Tour of Guam title, Blas had managed to complete the race clocking in at 3 hours, 2 minutes and 5 seconds. It is with unexpected finesses that the cyclist at the tender age of 21 reigned through the stringent competition of the race.

Even Blas was not expecting himself to defend the title and shared his astonishment in an interview with Post Gaum, “I wasn’t expecting it to happen this year. I was really excited and surprised when it was just me and Ed (Oingerang) coming down to the final sprint.”

Taking part in international races demands rigorous training, but this year Blas had not been in his best fit version. He had been away from cycling for a significant amount of time that would cost him. However, his strategic skills helped Blass to take inspiration from last year’s experience shaving off 2 minutes 54 seconds from his 2022 finishing time. 

Smarter riding led to unanticipated triumph

More than the win, for Blas it was the experience of moving to the last lap of the race, competing against fellow Guamanian, Ed Oingerang. The UCI Continental rider, Oingerang grabbed the winning title by becoming the National Champion at the 2020 GUAM MTB National Championships.  

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Taking charge over a powerful competitor like Oingerang, Blas showcased his ability by securing an unexpected one-second victory that gave rise to a strategic sprint finish. Being away from the intense training, Blas solidified his reputation becoming the youngest repeat national champion in the cycling history at Guam. 

He drew lessons from his previous victory and became “a little bit smarter” Blas strategically navigated through the race. In this process, the cyclist got over his fear of getting dropped during climbs and managed to take charge of the throttling final sprint. Amidst Blas supremacy Kristen Lombard became the overall fourth fastest female to claim the title.  

Blayde Blas weaves a captivating narrative blending strategy, speed and unforeseen surprises. His athletic skills in spite of staying away from rigorous training earned him the respect of the cycling community that added an extra layer of excitement to the race. 

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