Dominican cyclist Wendy Cruz of the Alico-DR team won the first of eight days of competitions that are part of the Vuelta Ciclística Independencia Nacional, a major cycling event in the Caribbean. He posted a time of 3:28.55 minutes, sprinting ahead during the last three meters of the race. Second and third place winners were Estiven Mlueark (USA) Miami and Donny López (Dom), representing the Association of Dominicans in New York (ASODOCI). The grueling competition takes cyclists through most of the DR (1,145.4 kilometers) from 20-27 February. It is an officially sanctioned International Cycling Union race (see http://www.uci.ch) For web site international coverage on this event, see http://www.cyclingnews.com International teams have come from St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Curaçao, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama, Honduras and several US states (New York, Florida, Illinois and Texas). Fourteen DR-based teams are also participating, for a total of more than 200 cyclists. The race schedule is as follows: Sunday, 20 February: 11 am. Closed circuit around Mirador del Sur Park (144 kms) Monday, 21 February: 10 am. Santo Domingo-Boca Chica-San Pedro de Macorís-La Romana (116 kms). Point of departure: Ministry of the Armed Forces-Plaza de la Bandera. Tuesday, 22 February: 9:30 am. La Romana-San Pedro de Macorís-Santo Domingo (120 kms). Point of departure: Parque Duarte in La Romana. Wednesday, 23 February: 9:30 am. Santo Domingo-Bonao (89 kms). 3 pm. La Vega-Santo Cerro-Jarabacoa (75 kms). Thursday, 24 February: 9:30 am. La Vega-Bonao-Piedra Blanca-Cotuí-Pimentel-San Francisco de Macorís (150 kms) Friday, 25 February: 9:30 am. Santiago-La Cumbre-Puerto Plata-Imbert-Navarrete-Mao (160 kms) Saturday, 26 February: 9:30 am. Closed circuit Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración in Santiago (120 kms). Sunday, 27 February: 9:30 am. Santiago- Bonao-Villa Altagracia-Santo Domingo (158 kms.) (21 February 2000)
