As Belize gears up to welcome young cycling talent from across the Caribbean for a major regional competition, the Cycling Federation of Belize has issued a critical public alert for motorists: multiple key roads across the Belize District will be closed temporarily this weekend to accommodate the 2026 Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships.
The first stage of the competition, an Individual Time Trial that will test riders’ speed and endurance against the clock, is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 22. The entire race, which both begins and ends just beyond the Blackberry community, will run along the Boom Hattieville Road. To ensure the safety of competing athletes, the full stretch of road from the Boom entrance through to the Hattieville Roundabout will remain closed for the entire duration of Saturday’s time trial.
On Sunday, August 23, the second and final stage of the championships – a mass-start Road Race – will get underway at the same 7:00 a.m. start time. This race will traverse the Philip Goldson Highway, running between the iconic Flag Monument and the final roundabout adjacent to the North End Estate development. For this stage, traffic management officials have implemented a mixed closure plan: the full segment between the Flag Monument and the Westrac Roundabout will be closed to all vehicle traffic for the entire event, while remaining sections of the race route will operate under rolling closure protocols. Under this system, motorists will be permitted to pass through sections of the route when competitors are not immediately present, though drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution when navigating these areas.
Regional cycling officials note that this year’s Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships marks a key milestone for developing young cycling talent across the Caribbean basin, and organizers have asked all local residents and visitors planning to travel through the affected areas this weekend to plan alternate routes in advance to avoid unnecessary delays.