Celestino Pinho (Louletano/Loulé Concelho) was this Sunday two-time national champion of cyclocross in the elite category, in the competition held at Quinta do Loureiro Velho, Fermentões.
Isabel Caetano (CSM Epinay) also confirmed her favoritism and was once again the national champion in the same category, in women's.
The cyclist from Loulé dominated the men's elite race, finishing 58 seconds ahead of second-placed Tiago Ferreira (BTT Seia). The third was Nuno Alves (Candibyke/Interdesign/Metal Trigueira), at 3m49s.
The female winner's dominance was also evident. Isabel Caetano cut the isolated goal, leaving the runner-up, Ana Rita Vigário (LA/Antarte/Rota dos Móveis), at 1m01s. Ângela Fernandes (CSM Epinay) closed the podium, concluding the effort at 1m23s from the two-time national champion.
The elite category was not the only one in which the trophy holders retained the title. The same happened in sub-23, through Mário Costa (ASC/Bike Zone), and in veterans B, through António Sousa (Candibyke/Interdesign/Metal Trigueira).
In the remaining categories, there are new champions. This is the case of junior Roberto Ferreira (Candibyke/Interdesign/Metal Trigueira), cadet André Moreira (Santa Cruz/Bicicastro) and veteran A Rogério Matos (BTT Lousada/Gémeos Ferreira/Bike4You).
Veterans race C was won by António Bento (AMVE – Garantir Norte), but there was no place to award the title as fewer than five riders participated in this category.
Individual Carlos Santos was the first in promotion, a category in which there are no champion titles.
This morning's races were disputed by more than 70 runners, an increase of 50% compared to last year's National Championship, when cyclocross was once again held in Portugal, after nearly two decades of interregnum. It was, in this way, demonstrated the growing implantation of this winter discipline of road cycling.
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