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They were in Curacao over the weekend representing Belize at the 2013 Caribbean Cycling Championship Games. And today the 7 Belizean Cyclists returned home after quite successful tour.

Belize had to compete in this event in order to qualify in the Central American and Caribbean Games next year. They were 8 slots available for countries to participate in the games next year and one of those slots went to Belize's very own Byron Pope who finished 10th place in the overall road race -out of a hundred riders. Today 7news was at the airport to welcome home these athletes.

Perry Gibson, National Team Coach
"This is the 13th edition of the Caribbean Cycling Championships - it is arrange by the Caribbean Cycling Federation which encompasses all of the Caribbean islands including the Dutch, the French and the English speaking. This I believe was the largest of the 13 events. In terms of the field and the class of the field, this was the biggest race that they had so far."

"We did excellent I have to tell you. The racing and the preparation that we've done; we've been doing some specialize training for the event to be able to handle the speed because it was a very fast race and we knew that going in. Our preparation was geared towards a fast race. We entered 5 guys and in all fairness all 5 would have finish; we had 2 crashes which took out David Henderson and Joel Borland. It was just unfortunate at the point. Once you crash or have a puncture, you're out the race because it's so fast there is no hope for you."

"With that we were able to get 3 out of 5 and I think this is the first time that we had actually finished the Caribbean Cycling Championships for the male. In the females, Shalini Zabaneh has won a medal before and for the males; this is a first for us."

"Thankfully we have one slot. We've achieve one slot because you now have to qualify for game; Central American and the Caribbean Games, Pan-American and then Olympics; you have to qualify for these and with this finish we are able to qualify for the Central American and the Caribbean Games to be held in Veracruz Mexico next year. We have one slot and with that we basically need to prepare properly for the race and to be able to try and represent again."

Byron Pope, Cyclist
"It was qualifiers so we can move to other events such as the Central American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games. We've completed our mission and I've made the final spot to qualify to move on to the events. It's something that we really accomplish as a country."

"Our new season is starting so we have already been preparing. We've done gym work; we've done some racing in preparation for this event. It really helped me to reach at a level so that I could have competed at that race because the race was tough. Out of 100 guys and came in 10th, the race was tough. You had to really pay attention while racing and so forth."

"Some of the professional riders; I've ridden with them before, so I have a little idea on what to expect. I just try to be at the front and pay attention to the moves and try to escape. We are a small country and they don't expect us to be in the front or to be around, so that was my opportunity and I took it."

Belize is now qualified to take part in the Central American and Caribbean games that will be held next year in Vera Cruz Mexico. If they are successful in that, then it's unto then the Commonwealth games, and pending success there, ultimately the Pan-American Games and finally the Olympics.