The 24-year-old cyclist posted two hours, 57 minutes, and 47.09 seconds to beat both Eli Torgeson’s record (3:02:22) from 2008 and 2010’s men’s open road bike champion Joon Yong Seo of Korea.
“The race in general I think suited me,” said Anderson after securing his name on the perpetual trophy in the post-race banquet.
“It was hilly, it was difficult, and it had a flat finish which suited me really well. We started pretty slowly then in the first few hills we started to split up. We’d drop a few more people in every hill.”
While most cyclists had the home advantage, Anderson had chance to visit the 100-kilometer course prior to the race.
“Fortunately we went out yesterday and we drove half of the course and then rode the last half so I could see what was coming this morning,” he said.
Anderson had already pulled away from second-ranked Kinji Hashimoto at Banzai Cliff and returned alone to the finish line at Pacific Islands Club via Beach Road.
“Finally on a big climb to Suicide (Cliff), there was nobody left but myself so I had a long 40 kilometers to the finish.”
Hashimoto arrived minutes later in 3:00:59.18. Seo settled for third place this year at 3:05:42.
Another Aussie pro — Jodie Willett — topped the women’s open-road bike division with three hours, 16 minutes, and 15.72 seconds and ranked eighth overall.
“I was really happy to go away with the win. I didn’t come here with any expectations and I didn’t know what the competition was gonna be like,” she told Variety.
“After seeing it all I can think about is ‘steep.’ It was all steep and I knew it was gonna be tough. For the first three climbs I just paced myself and hoped I brought it all in the end.”
Russia’s Nataliy Zakharova trailed Willett at 3:43:52.91 while Asumi Nozawa of Japan placed third with 4:38:44.50.
Last year’s women’s open champion Mieko Carey was disqualified after two flat tires near Papago.
The wind played a major role this weekend said Lewie Tenorio, who was the first Saipan-based road cyclist to reach the finish line.
“I had trouble climbing the hills because the wind kept hitting me, but it was good overall and I had an easier start compared to last year. The rain helped cool me down,” he said.
Tenorio rode with the main pack while most of the pros separated near the airport. He tailed Guam’s Derek Horton before breaking off at Capital Hill.
Horton and Peter Lombard were the first Guam-based riders to finish with 3:21:42.47 and 3:19:11.15, respectively.
Tenorio placed first in the men’s 36-45 road bike division at 3:28:38.41.
Other solo top finishers with their time and category in parenthesis were:
-Aldrin Sta. Ana (3:43:52.91-men’s 26-35 yrs., road)
-Tobias Theisen (3:48:55.51-men’s 14-25 yrs., road)
-Cesar Fortaleza (3:51:01.22-men’s 46-55 yrs., road)
-Charlie Sendin (4:01:13.75-men’s 26-35 yrs., mountain)
-Erico Castro (4:01:36.18-men’s 14-25 yrs., mountain)
-Katsuki Ishimatsu (4:03:18.03-men’s 36-45 yrs., mountain)
-Chan Hwang (4:10:45.56-women’s 46-55 yrs., mountain)
-Noel Altamirano (4:13:44.18-men’s 46-55 yrs., mountain)
-Kimiko McKagan (4:19:41.03-women’s 36-45 yrs., road)
-Kunio Yagyu (4:29:09.09-men’s 56-and-above yrs., road)
-Maki Nonaka (6:28:46.88-women’s 26-35 yrs., road)
-Derek Chambers (4:48:58.31-men’s manatee, road)
