Local Hero Hastings Salanoa Makes History as Tour of Sāmoa Gets Underway

Apia - Chris Dunn

Women's Tour Leader and Defending Champion, Lillian Gray from Hamilton, New Zealand. Photo by ScottieT Photography

The 2025 Negative Split Carbon Tour of Sāmoa officially began on Saturday evening with a short but spirited Prologue in Apia, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling week of racing. The 1.2-kilometre individual time trial, raced through the capital’s streets and finishing at the iconic Sāmoan Government Building, delivered drama, speed, and history from the very first pedal stroke.

The fastest time of the evening belonged to New Zealand’s Kurt Coetzee of Whangārei, who stormed around the course in a blistering one minute and 53 seconds. However, Coetzee, who is in Samoa as a mechanic rather than a full tour rider, will not feature in the General Classification. That meant the spotlight shifted to the next man on the timing sheet—and it lit up local talent in a way never seen before at this event.

Just two seconds behind Coetzee was Samoa’s own Hastings Salanoa of the Mountain Boyz Cycling Club. His time of one minute and 55 seconds secured him second overall in the Prologue but, more importantly, earned him the honour of wearing the yellow leader’s jersey when racing begins on Monday. For the first time in the history of the Tour of Sāmoa, a local rider will start Stage 1 as the race leader, marking a proud moment for the nation’s cycling community.

In the women’s category, defending champion Lillian Gray picked up right where she left off last year. The New Zealander produced a winning time of two minutes and 16 seconds, enough to secure the pink jersey for Day 1. Gray will begin her title defence from the front of the peloton, confident and clearly in strong form.
Adding further excitement to the opening day is the introduction of a new Local Leader’s Jersey. This red jersey will recognise the top-placed Sāmoan rider across the General Classification. Since Salanoa now wears yellow as the overall leader, the red jersey will pass to the next local rider, creating an extra layer of prestige for the homegrown athletes. That honour looks set to fall to either Wally or Tyreece of Bike Samoa, the father-and-son duo who finished impressively in fifth and sixth place in the Prologue.

Race Director Seti Afoa praised the opening night’s effort, noting both the competitive spirit and the strong showing of local riders. “The main role of the time trial this year was to establish our first jersey leaders,” he said. “It was fantastic to see Hastings step into the yellow jersey, a first for Samoa, and to welcome our local riders from Bike Samoa and the Mountain Boyz alongside international talent. It was a wonderful prologue.”
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With the jerseys settled and history already made, the attention now turns to Monday’s double stage. Stage 1 will see riders leave Apia for a 26-kilometre neutral section before the racing begins in earnest at Falefa. From there, the peloton faces a challenging 42-kilometre ride over the punishing Lemafa Pass to the Sinalei Resort, which doubles as the Sāmoa national road championship. Later that same day, Stage 2 takes the riders inland on a 35-kilometre route from Sinalei to Aleisā, culminating in the steep ascent of the Cross Island Road. With jerseys already on the shoulders of a local hero and a defending champion, and with the toughest roads of Sāmoa still ahead, the stage is set for a dramatic opening day of racing.