Despite the cloudy conditions and short showers of rain yesterday, Team Gillette Evolution’s Michael Anthony, supported by Berbice’s Andrew Hicks and Linden’s Shaquille Agard romped home victorious in yesterday’s R&R International Limited- sponsored feature 35-lap cycle race in the National Park.The 11-race programme, which was organized by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed for the 25th consecutive year,saw Anthony, who hails from the mining community of Linden, winning the 35-lap event in one hour, 15 minutes, 16.62 seconds, ahead of his team mates and fellow Lindeners Orville Hinds and Shaquille Agard respectively.
Mario King, Alonzo Ambrose and Andrew Hicks occupied the fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively.
Of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs, Anthony won three, Agard and Hinds won two each,and Andre Abdool won the other one.
After completing seven laps in the 35-lap event, Anthony, Hicks and Agard broke from the pack, which consisted of over 35 starters,and immediately opened a huge lead,which was maintained until the completion of the 31st lap, when Hicks started to feel the effects of cramps in his left leg; and that was when Hinds who was in the main chasing bunch joined the other two leaders.
But with two laps remaining, Anthony broke from Agard and Hinds, and opened a 100-metre lead which he maintained to the end.
In the race for second and third, Hinds out-sprinted Agard to take second.
Earlier in the race, there was a minor break during the second lap, but this was breached four laps later; and then Anthony, Hicks and Agard staged their attack and opened a lead, which overtime extended to approximately 350 metre;, but with seven laps remaining, the lead closed due to an attack by Hinds and six other cyclists. However, with four laps remaining, Hicks started to cramp and fell back, and Hinds attacked the chasing pack and connected. Hicks, however, recovered and managed to finish sixth.
Earlier in the day,Hinds won the 10-lap race for juveniles. Second was Berbician Romello Crawford and third was Duraj Garbarran.
In other results, john Niles won the BMX boys 6-9 years old two-lap race ahead of Shay Sue-Hang and Antoine Vandenburg respectively.
The BMX boys 9-12 years old three-lap race was won by Zad James. Second was Jeremiah Harrison and third was Sue-Hang.
The BMX boys 12-14 years old three-lap race was won by Adealie Hodge who finished ahead of Taran Garbarran.
Zamal Khan was the winner of the boys and girls 12-14 years three-lap race. Second was Toshawana Doris and finishing third was Whitney Poyer.
Warren McKay was the winner of the five-lap race for veterans under 50 years of age. Second was Junior Niles and third was Stephen Fernandes.
Andrew Spencer won the five-lap race for veterans over 50 years of age, ahead of Shameer Baksh and Linden Blackman respectively, while Monty Parris won the five-lap race for veterans over 60 years of age.
The five-lap race for mountain bikers was won by Nicholas Alphonso. Second was Sean Budhan and placing third was Keon Thomas.