TEAM Coco’s Hamzah Eastman rode a clinical race yesterday to wheel off with the first prize in the first stage of the Dr Cheddi Jagan Memorial three-stage cycle road race in the West Demerara area, doing so in a time of 1hr 54mins 50secs.The 50-mile race which began outside the Wales Police Station at 08:15hrs and was organised by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed, attracted 47 starters and was very competitive.

After being sent on their way, the competitors stuck together until they reached Vreed-en-Hoop when a bunch of eight riders went on a break and stuck together until they reached Tuschen when they were sucked in by the chasing pack.

The lead changed many times on the journey to the turn-back point at Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo and even a few miles on the return journey, until Eastman, last year’s winner Michael Anthony and Paul DeNobrega made a break and opened a sizeable lead and was never caught again.
Coming towards the finish line, Anthony attacked from approximately 200 metres from the line, but was overtaken by Eastman who romped home a comfortable winner, with Anthony and DeNobrega finishing second and third respectively.
Last year’s overall winner of the trilogy Alanzo Greaves of Roraima Bikers Club outsprinted the chasing bunch to occupy the fourth spot while Paul Cho-Wee-Nam and Orville Hinds placed fifth and sixth respectively.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony following the annual event, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony congratulated the winners of the various categories and said he is pleased with the number of participants.
He reminded that the former President now deceased, Dr Cheddi Jagan, was always interested in sports and to a larger extent youth development, stressing that the late founder of the People’s Progressive Party struggled for the people of Guyana dating back to the 1940s and never gave up that struggle.
He said the race yesterday was staged to remember Dr Jagan for the many good things he did for the country, noting that the event started in Berbice, but over the years it has been extended to the West Demerara area and the Essequibo Coast.
Meanwhile, Junior Niles, the winner of the veterans’ category, won two of the eight prime prizes, along with Anthony and Eastman, while Hinds and Mark Harris each claimed a prime prize during the event.
Ian `Dumb Boy’ Jackson was second to Niles in the veterans category with Kennard Lovell third, even as Deeraj Garbarran took the Mountain Bike category from Michael Holder and Julio Melville. Christopher Griffith was the first junior to cross the finish line, doing so ahead of Raphael Leung and Andrew Hicks. Anthony Fariah was the first Over-60 competitor to complete the event.
Mohamed thanked the 47 starters for their participation. He said they were all winners and said he is looking forward to seeing all of them face the starter this Sunday at 09:00hrs, when the second leg pedals off from outside the PPP/C’s office in New Amsterdam, Berbice. The third stage pedals off on March 22 in Essequibo.

(By Michael DaSilva)