Since 1996, international cyclists have dominated. Cyclists from the U.S. have won 8 Classics, Mexico and Guatemala three each, and Belize five. Two of those belong to Ernest Meighan (1997, 2001), one to Shane Vasquez (2006) and one to Giovanni Choto (2012), while Darnell Barrow became the first Belizean to get back to back wins for Belize since 1995. A pattern has developed of younger Belizean cyclists and expendable foreign ones leading the race early, dropping back into the peloton, then allowing fresher, stronger, more well-known cyclists to step forward. Most Belizean teams bring in foreign riders to participate, then have to defend themselves to the outraged public when a foreigner wins. But that foreign participation also introduces Belizeans to fresh talent and provides for a real test of Belizean cyclists' capabilities.