Conor White kicks on for third Presidents Cup

Mehluli Sibanda

Created: Oct 26, 2025 03:25 PM (Updated: Oct 26, 2025 03:25 PM)

Conor White crosses the finish line to win the Presidents Cup (Photograph by Ras Mykkal)

Conor White clinched the Presidents Cup for third time after seeing off a strong challenge in a sprint finish from Matt Boys and teenage sensation Jackson Langley.

White, the clear race favourite in the absence of international team-mates Kaden Hopkins and Nicholas Narraway, crossed the line at Southlands Park 2hr 19min 6sec — the identical time given to Boys, with Langley, 17, three seconds farther back.

“It’s always nice to win a race at home,” White told The Royal Gazette.

“A bit of a shorter course this year due to a bunch of roadworks, but it’s still good. Shame that a couple of the other top guys are off island or off the bike right now, but it’s still a pretty strong field.

“I had Jackson and Matt up the road with me giving me competition, so it was a really good race.”

The 26-year-old stated that he realised early that Boys and Langley were not going to let him stroll to victory.

“I tried to get away and go solo, but Matt and Jackson are strong enough to follow these moves,” White said.

Conor White, centre, displays his silverware after winning a third Presidents Cup. Jackson Langley, left, was third and Matt Boys second (Photograph by Ras Mykkal)

“There’s no real long climbs here, which is what I would like to have to get away from the rest of the pack. But everyone here is pretty punchy, so once we got to Dockyard, I realised I was probably going to have to settle for a sprint.

“I’ve done pretty good in sprints here this year, so I figured I had a good chance against these guys.

“Matt’s a good sprinter. When he’s fresh, he generally beats me in a sprint. He’s an ex-pro, been around for years racing, so he knows how to race.

“In a tired sprint, I took my chances against him and managed to pull it off. I know Jackson's strong. He’s only 17 and has got a lot to learn. If he keeps at it, he will go pretty far in cycling.

Panzy Olander was the only female competitor in the Presidents Cup (Photograph by Ras Mykkal)

“He gets MVP of the ride because he wasn't afraid to take hard pulls and he wasn’t afraid to even attack me. He attacked me once — no one else really attacks.

“Everyone looks at me to do stuff, which is a given since I race overseas. Jackson wasn't afraid to ride hard, take hard pulls and attack.

“He won the junior race, but he could have also won the adult race if he got away. He countered one of my attacks and he got a bit of a gap, but I was pretty confident I could pull it back — and I did.

Oliver Hayward was second in the junior men’s race (Photograph by Ras Mykkal)

Boys spoke of the difficulties he encountered in trying to keep up with White.

“It was a fun race and I really enjoyed it,” said the 35-year-old, whose parents flew in from Australia in time to watch.

“It was a bit different from last year not having Kaden and Nic — guys that are at the same level as Conor.

“Everyone was looking at Conor; the weight was on his shoulders. He took the race earlier than I thought he would. He went off at the airport and I hung on for dear life.

“I tried every move in the book to try and survive, but he was too strong and I actually ended up cramping in the sprint.

“The plan was to beat Conor and win the race, but it didn’t work out so I've to try another year. It was fun to have my family from Australia over to see the racing here.

There were wild cheers for Lucas Bule, the last rider across the finish line in his first Presidents Cup (Photograph by Ras Mykkal)

“This is the best race, it’s the best crowds and everyone hangs around. It’s also a good distance going around the whole island.”

Langley, who clocked 2:19:09, was pleased with his effort after missing last year.

“I told myself I might as well put my head down and go for it,” he said.

“I lost the sprint for third overall, but I still won the juniors, so I’m still happy with my overall performance.

“It was hard sticking with the experienced guys. Bike racing is like chess on wheels — it’s pretty intense and tactical as well.”

Panzy Olander, the only female participant in the 53-mile race, tried her best to keep up with the male competitors. Her time of 2:23:58 placed her 22nd overall.

“I kind of reserved myself for this one because I wanted to see how far I could get,” she said.

“I didn’t want to get dropped too early, so I was strategic. I just needed to get to Dockyard with the group. Once we got over coming over the big hills, I was worried but I made it over.

“I would love to see more women competing. This is a great sport and to be racing against other women is so much fun; it’s a completely different race.

“It’s still a good little challenge for me racing against the guys. It helps me pick up the pace and it’s a really good workout.”

Hayward, the junior champion a year ago, was content to settle for second place behind Langley since he has been struggling with a foot injury.

“I can’t complain about where I finished,” Hayward said.

“I was hoping to stay with Jackson, but I didn’t have the legs when he went. It was the three of them working against me. I backed my sprint in the end to lead the second group.”