—It was the best race of my life-Williams

By Michael DaSilva
IN 2014, he won the Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) 100-mile national road race championship, in 2015 he placed third in a 92.86-mile version of the same championship, but yesterday, Geron `The lone Soldier’ Williams returned two hours, 42 minutes 44 seconds in winning the 71-mile national championship which was staged around the outer circuit of the National Park.
Representing Continental Cycle Club, Williams, who is Guyana’s only professional cyclist based in the United States and riding for Team Foundation, made his intentions known from as early as the first lap of the 30-lap circuit by breaking away with seven other riders that included four from Team Coco’s and three from Team Evolution.

They stayed together and shared the lead with either a team Coco’s member or a Team Evolution member pacing.
However, after three laps of the circuit was completed, Team Coco’s Jamal John and Stephano Husbands, along with Williams broke from the others and immediately opened a 45 seconds lead on the others and they maintained that lead for another nine laps even though Shaquille Agard had parted ways with the peloton three laps earlier.
After 12 laps, John and Williams held a mere 19 seconds lead over last year’s winner Hamza Eastman who had earlier chased Agard and overtook him to set himself in the third position.
Raynauth Jeffrey, the eventual second place finisher then attacked relentlessly and forged to the front of Williams and John, who eventually dropped out and his place taken by Stephano Husbands, the eventual third place finisher.
Thereafter, four of Jeffrey’s team Coco’s team mates as well as three from Team Evolution joined him (Jeffrey) and Williams.
The eight cyclists stuck together for another four laps before Jeffrey and Williams broke away and shared the lead for the remainder of the race.
With two laps remaining, Jeffrey tried in vain to shake off Williams who refused to be shaken off as he (Williams) stayed on Jeffrey’s back wheel.
With just approximately 300 metres remaining, Jeffrey `upped’ and Williams stayed on his (Jeffrey) back wheel until there was approximately 150 metres remaining and Director of Sport Christopher Jones started to wave the checquered flag signaling the finish line that Williams decided that it was time to forge ahead and this he did in fine style, leaving Jeffrey to struggle lengths behind while raising his hands in jubilation even before crossing the finish line.
After the dust was settled and the large crowd started celebrating, Williams told Chronicle Sport he is elated with reclaiming the championship title as this will give him bragging rights for the next 12 months.
“This is the best race of my life” Williams stated, adding “I’ve been training for this race for quite some time now and I’ve reaped my rewards.