As the countdown to the weekend ticks down, the Central American nation of Belize is putting the final touches on preparations to host the 2026 Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships, an event that will shine a regional spotlight on emerging young cycling talent from across the Caribbean basin.Organizers have already confirmed that 14 countries are participating in the championship, with many athletes having already arrived in the country to fine-tune their equipment and acclimate to local race conditions. As of Wednesday this week, multiple competitors were already spotted working with local bike technicians at Belize’s iconic Ordonez Bike Shop to get their race machines ready for competition, according to Glen Flowers, president of the Cycling Federation of Belize.The competition will kick off this Saturday with the Individual Time Trial (ITT), which will be held along the Boom-Hattieville Road corridor. To accommodate the safe running of the race, authorities will close the stretch from the Boom entrance to the Hattieville Roundabout between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. local time. On Sunday, the championship will move to the open road race, which will be contested along Philip Goldson Highway, between the Flag Monument and the Westrac Roundabout (also referred to as the final roundabout heading toward the airport). That stretch of highway will be closed to motor vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time, requiring all motorists to adjust their travel plans for the race weekend.In an interview, Flowers shared that Belize earned the right to host the junior championship following the overwhelming success of the 2025 Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships held in the country last year, when 17 participating nations and the Caribbean Cycling Union praised the nation’s organization and natural cycling-friendly terrain. “After our 2025 elite event, delegates from across the union voted to bring another championship back to Belize when we held our annual congress in Brazil,” Flowers explained. “Every member of the Caribbean Cycling Union loves what Belize offers for cycling events, and they were eager to return. That’s how we secured the rights to host this year’s junior championship.”Beyond showcasing up-and-coming cycling talent, Flowers noted that the event serves as a unique opportunity to position Belize as a top regional destination for competitive and recreational cycling alike. He extended a warm invitation to local residents to turn out along the race routes to cheer on all competing athletes, especially the home Team Belize, which is aiming to defend the gold medal it won at the last championship. “We’re hoping to keep that gold medal right here at home,” Flowers said.To minimize inconvenience for local commuters and travelers, event organizers and national police have issued a public advisory asking all motorists to plan alternative routes in advance, exercise extra caution when traveling near race boundaries, and follow all instructions from deployed traffic officers throughout the weekend. The Cycling Federation has reiterated that the safety of both competing cyclists and road users remains the top priority for event organizers.This news report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast of a local television evening newscast.