Emile Abraham will have some work to do to regain the lead in his hometown Tobago, as the Tour of Trinidad and Tobago Independence Cycle Classic resumes today with the Bill Hughes Stage 75-kilometre circuit race.

Abraham, riding for his US team Rossetti Devo, held the yellow jersey for the overall lead after the second stage last Friday, but fell to fifth after a tenth place finish in Stage Five, the Nathan Hajal road race from Port of Spain to Corinth Flyover in South Trinidad, that ended at Lady Young Lookout in Port of Spain.

Edwin Avila Vanegas, riding for Cycling Team Krieger, is ahead with a combined time of six hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds, but his lead over second-placed Raphael Merane of Team Foundation is just three seconds. Third and 11 seconds behind the leader is Jamie Ramirez (Team Petrotrin).

Team CCN's Maarten de Jonge is fourth and a second off Ramirez, while Abraham is fifth. With just 15 seconds separating the top five, the next two stages in Tobago are crucial in deciding the eventual champion.

Merane owes his place in the overall standings to a strong sprinting performance and he currently possesses the green jersey for the top sprinter. Behind him on that list is Abraham in second, while another Team Krieger rider, Armando Cardenas Zamudi, is third, ahead of Rafmon Mecalfab's Marloe Rodman (fourth) and Philip Schulz (Team Krostitzer Univega/fifth).

Ramirez is the current leader in the "King of the Hill" competition, accounting for his current overall position, with Frank Travieso (Team Cocos) and Vanegas second and third, respectively.

Today's event, a circuit race, will travel along Hampden Road to Claude Noel Highway, with the start/finish in the vicinity of Gordon's. And tomorrow, the second and final event in the sister isle will be another circuit race, five laps totaling 95 km.

That race will start and end a gruelling hilly trek at YMCA Courland Bay, along Claude Noel Highway, through Northside Road to Mount Grace and includes the challenging Bad Hill, a 19km circuit.

The competition comes to an end on Sunday, with the last three stages in Trinidad on the weekend, starting Friday.