TEAM Evolution’s Orville Hinds won the 33rd edition of the National Sports Commission’s sponsored Independence Three Stage Cycle Road Race which concluded yesterday.According to the race’s organisers, Hinds returned six hours 03.2 seconds in winning the annual event which was affected by early morning showers yesterday morning during the Kara Kara, Linden Highway to Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown stage of the event, a distance of 64.5 miles.
Hinds placed fourth in the first stage (46.6 miles) which started from outside the Corriverton Police Station and ended at the corners of Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam, Berbice.
He then placed second in the second stage (60.4 miles ) which started at Rosignol Ferry Stelling and concluded on Carifesta Avenue in a bunch time of two hours, 18 minutes 51 seconds.
In yesterday’s final stage (64.5 miles) which wheeled off from Kara Kara Linden highway and concluded on Carifesta Avenue, Hinds finished third.
The event should have concluded on Homestretch Avenue, but because of the heavy rains that caused flooding all over Georgetown, the organisers, during the third stage, after being notified that the Homestretch Avenue had been flooded, made a decision to have the race end on Carifesta Avenue.
Team Evolution’s Michael Anthony and Raul Leal occupied the second and third spots respectively, while Continental Wheelers’ lone member Geron Williams placed fourth.
Alonzo Ambrose and Marlon `Fishy’ Williams occupied the fifth and sixth places, respectively.
Hinds’ overall time for the 171.4 miles event was six hours, 50 minutes 32 seconds, while Anthony returned six hours, 52 minutes 26 seconds.
Raul Leal registered Six hours, 02 minutes 31 seconds in placing third overall.
From the start of yesterday’s stage on the Linden Highway, the pack was tightly grouped but suddenly, Paul DeNobrega attacked and established a healthy lead.
He was subsequently wheeled in by the chasing pack and together the riders interchanged the lead. Before coming off the Linden Highway, DeNobrega again attacked the pack and established a lead, but once again he was wheeled in approaching the Linden/Soesdyke Highway entrance.
It was at Supply on the East Bank of Demerara that Jamal John the winner of the third stage along with Shaquille Agard and two other riders broke from the pack and was never caught.
In the end, Hinds was crowned overall champion in the all Guyanese riders affair.
Raphael Leung won the junior category ahead of John and Romelo Crawford respectively.
Leung’s overall time is six hours 58 minutes 49 seconds.
Eon `Dumb Boy’ Jackson won the veterans’ category in a time of six hours, 57 minutes five seconds. Second was Junior Niles and finishing third was Everal Mundy.
Anthony won four of the prime prizes that were up for grabs in the three stage event while Robin Persaud, Geron Williams, Andrew Hicks, Niles, Kravitz Jeffrey, Hinds and John won one each.
Ambrose, DeNobrega and Agard won two primes each.

By Michael DaSilva