Costa Rica’s Sebastián Brenes Mata produced a stunning late surge to win the Gran Premio New York City, snatching victory in the final 50 meters of a grueling elite race.
The Canel’s-Java rider timed his sprint to perfection, launching an explosive acceleration on the outside line to pip Colombia’s Wilmar Paredes (Team Medellín-EPM) to the line in a breathless finish. Brenes Mata crossed the line in 3 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds to secure his second victory of the season.
The challenging 135km route rolled out across the iconic George Washington Bridge, tackling the punishing climbs of Harriman State Park before turning back toward New Jersey for a high-speed finish in Fort Lee.
A select front group broke away during the closing stages, setting up a ferocious tactical battle. Paredes looked poised to take the crown, but Brenes Mata’s extraordinary late kick altered the script just ahead of the line.
The frantic pace of the finish was highlighted by the depth of the leading group, with Bermuda’s Nicholas Narraway putting in a stellar performance for Competitive Edge Racing. Narraway showed superb grit to stay with the main protagonists over the climbs and put himself right in the mix for the final dash.
In a reflection of just how tight the final bunch sprint was, Narraway crossed the line in 22nd place, credited with the exact same time as the victorious Brenes Mata.
