TEAM Coco’s Stephano Husbands, came out victorious in the annual Forbes Burnham Memorial Three-stage cycle road race, which concluded yesterday with the staging of the final two stages and in the process of winning the event he won four of the 18 prime prizes that were up for grabs.Eastman who hails from Linden placed second in the first stage that was held in New Amsterdam, Berbice, two Sunday’s ago.
That stage started in New Amsterdam, proceeded to Rose Hall Town and returned to New Amsterdam for the finish and was won by Berbician Andrew Hicks. The other top three places were occupied by Hamza Eastman, Jamal John and Geron Williams, respectively and the time for that stage was one hour .03 minutes 34 seconds.
In the second stage yesterday which started at `Five Corners’ in Linden and concluded on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown, Husbands placed third behind stage winner Eastman (2.55:43) and Shaquele Agard, respectively , while Orville Hinds, Michael Anthony and Jamal John, occupied the other top three spots.
The third and final stage which began at 14:00hrs from Homestretch Avenue and proceeded to Belfield, on the East Coast Demerara, before returning to the place of origin for the finish, saw Husbands placing fifth behind stage winner Shaquele Agard ((1.19:48), Orville Hinds, Alonzo Ambrose and Andrew Hicks respectively. Paul DeNobrega was sixth.
Husbands’ overall time for the event was five hours 19 minutes .02 seconds.
In the overall placings, Agard was second (5.19:05), Eastman third (5.19:33), Hicks fourth (5.20:19, Hinds fifth (5.20:41) and Ambrose sixth (5.20:58).
The junior category was won by Christopher Cornelius, who returned an overall time of 5.32:30, while Adelealie Hodge, (5.33:15) was second and Marcus Keilos, (6.04:20) was third.
In the veterans’ category, Junior Niles, returned five hours, 23 minutes 32 seconds in winning ahead of Ian Jackson, (5.32:55) and Sybourne Fernandes, (5.33:19) respectively.
Apart from Husbands’ four prime prizes, the other 14 were shared by Anthony, Niles and Deoraj Gorbaran, who won two each and Eastman, Hicks, Hinds, Enzo Matthews, Ambrose and Akeem Wilkinson, who all won one each.
Yesterday’s final stage saw team Coco’s riders – Husbands, Eastman and John- dominating the proceedings on the upward journey, dictating the pace, but on the return journey, things changed and saw several attacks coming from the other riders.
It was at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, that Anthony attacked, but was wheeled back in at Beterverwagting, by Hicks, Eastman and Hinds; the latter trio went on a semi-break but were caught up with and at Buxton. Anthony went on another break, but was sucked in at Plaisance.
Raphael Leung and Ambrose then jumped the pack at Ocean View but were sucked in at Kitty, then Agard went out and rode home unchallenged.
Hinds made his move in the homestretch and Hicks was content with staying on Hinds’ back wheel and placed third behind Hinds.
