BBA
23 Aug 2026
Keon Stevens, Dylan Eiselt, Jonah MacGuinness, Jens Drea, Jacob Wright
Team Bermuda returned from the 2026 Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships in Belize with three silver medals, one bronze and valuable international racing experience.
The five-rider team featured Jacob Wright and Keon Stevens in the Junior Men’s category, with Dylan Eiselt, Jens Drea and Jonah MacGuinness competing as Juvenile Men.
Wright and Stevens returned for their second consecutive championships after making their debuts in Barbados in 2025. The event marked the first Caribbean Junior Championships for Eiselt, Drea and MacGuinness.
The riders were supported throughout the trip by Darren Glasford, Chequan Richardson and Bermuda Bicycle Association President Peter Dunne.
PREPARATION BEGAN BEFORE RACE DAY
The work started shortly after the team arrived in Belize.
The bikes had to be rebuilt following air travel and prepared for course familiarisation. Team Mechanic Chequan Richardson quickly found himself dealing with several issues, including a badly cross-threaded pedal, electronic shifting problems, derailleur and gear adjustments, loose handlebars and disc brake adjustments.
A team cannot travel with a fully equipped workshop, so mechanics must work with a limited selection of tools and sometimes source parts locally. Every problem must be identified and resolved quickly so riders can begin course familiarisation and approach race day with confidence in their equipment.
Richardson’s skill, patience and ability to find solutions played an important role in getting all five riders ready for the championships.
TECHNICAL MEETINGS AND BIKE CHECKS
The day before racing included rider registration, the official Technical Meeting and mandatory bike checks.
With junior gearing restrictions in effect, officials checked each bike to ensure it complied with the championship regulations. The inspections also covered UCI equipment requirements, including components, shifter angles, handlebar and pad measurements, saddle positioning and other technical specifications.
Once the registration and technical requirements were completed, Bermuda’s riders joined teams from across the region for the official National Team Presentation at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza.
The presentation gave the participating nations an opportunity to come together before attention turned fully to two days of racing.
TWO SILVER MEDALS IN THE TIME TRIALS
Competition began on Saturday, August 22, with the individual time trials on the Boom–Hattieville Road.
Countries were permitted to enter a maximum of two riders in each category. Dylan Eiselt and Jens Drea represented Bermuda in the 15-kilometre Juvenile Men’s event, while Jacob Wright and Keon Stevens contested the 20-kilometre Junior Men’s race.
Eiselt produced a strong championship debut to claim silver in the Juvenile Men’s time trial. He completed the course in 21 minutes, 23.72 seconds, finishing behind Belize’s Ahmaad Cherrington, who won in 20:41.24.
Drea narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in 22:15.25.
In the Junior Men’s time trial, Wright earned Bermuda’s second silver medal of the day with a time of 26:44.95. Ryan Thompson of the Cayman Islands won the event in 26:03.44.
Stevens completed the course in 33:06.94 to finish ninth.
The result gave Wright a time-trial medal at consecutive Caribbean Junior Championships. He earned bronze in the Juvenile Men’s category during his championship debut in Barbados in 2025.
SILVER AND BRONZE IN THE ROAD RACES
The focus shifted to the road races on Sunday, August 23, with all five Bermuda riders taking to the start line.
Eiselt and Drea returned to the Juvenile Men’s podium following strong performances over the 62.4-kilometre course.
Eiselt finished second in 1 hour, 58 minutes and 24 seconds, adding a road race silver to the silver he earned in the time trial.
Drea followed just 27 seconds later to secure bronze in 1:58:51.
MacGuinness showed determination after crashing during the race. He got back on his bike, continued racing and crossed the finish line in tenth place in 2:07:37.
The 93.6-kilometre Junior Men’s road race also brought early challenges for Bermuda, with Wright and Stevens both involved in a crash on the opening lap.
Wright was able to continue and produced a determined ride to finish sixth in 2:54:17, just over three minutes behind the leading group.
Stevens was unable to continue following the crash, but the team was pleased to report that he was okay.
A STRONG CHAMPIONSHIP FOR BERMUDA
Bermuda completed the championships with four medals:
• Dylan Eiselt – silver, Juvenile Men’s individual time trial• Jacob Wright – silver, Junior Men’s individual time trial• Dylan Eiselt – silver, Juvenile Men’s road race• Jens Drea – bronze, Juvenile Men’s road race
Beyond the medals, the championships gave Bermuda’s young riders the opportunity to experience international competition, manage the demands of racing away from home and test themselves against emerging cyclists from across the Caribbean.
The weekend also highlighted the work that happens away from the start line. From travel logistics and registration to technical meetings, bike preparation, equipment inspections and race-day support, international competition requires a complete team effort.
The Bermuda Bicycle Association congratulates Jacob, Keon, Dylan, Jens and Jonah on representing the island with determination and resilience. We also thank Darren, Chequan and Peter for the work they put in throughout the trip to ensure the riders were prepared and supported.
