… wants to see new records
MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport,  Dr Frank Anthony, yesterday took some time off from his busy schedule to give the more than 40 cyclists who will be competing in this year’s National Sports Commission (NSC) 28th Annual Independence three-stage cycle road race, a warm send-off. In charging the entrants of one of the premier cycling events on the local calendar, (the NSC HIV/AIDS Awareness five-stage race being the other) to have a clean and highly competitive race, Dr Anthony also called on them to set a new record, not only overall, but per stage.
“This event is a key one that can be used to lift the level of cycling here in Guyana, hence the encouragement of foreign competitors who will definitely challenge our local guys to be more competitive and less complacent.
“Once that aspect has been achieved, then we can have new records being set not only in the overall category of the race, but per stage and this is something I am looking forward to seeing in this 28th edition of the race that is being used to celebrate our 44th Independence Anniversary” Dr Anthony stated.
Dr Anthony stated that both the MCYS and NSC are pleased with the number of participants in this year’s event, which is one of the many events, planned for Guyana’s Independence Anniversary celebrations.
He chided the cyclists and their club representatives for the unruly behaviour that occurred during the hosting of last year’s five-stage race and urged the cyclists not to have a repeat in the three-stage race.
“Don’t tarnish the mechanism with unruly behaviour. We could have thrown lots of money into another sport, but having used cycling to sensitise the nation on certain health issues, such as the five-stage HIV/AIDS Awareness race, we thought it best to continue doing so.
“But such behaviour would not do well for the sport, but rather tarnish it, leaving the executives in the cycling fraternity with a huge burden to revive an already flagging sport. Let’s all work together to make this and other cycling events, such as the ‘Big Ride’, a bigger and better event for all to see.”
Prior to Dr Anthony’s brief message, Director of Sport within the NSC, Neil Kumar, also charged the cyclists to be competitive and not complacent and said he is looking forward to a new record being set at the end of the race tomorrow morning.
Roraima Bikers Club’s (RBC) Alonso Greaves is the defending champion, but he will be hard-pressed to retain his title by riders with the calibre of Godfrey Pollydore and Robin Persaud, along with his RBC teammates in Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, Warren ‘40’ McKay, Jude Bently and Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton.
Add Linden’s John Charles, Junior Niles, Daniel Ramchurjee, Christopher Persaud and Alex Mendes from Kaieteur Cycle Club, Geron Williams and Enzo Matthews from Continental Cycle Club, along with Gordon ‘Bart’ Kennedy, and certainly this year’s event can be a heated affair not only for Greaves, but other competitors.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Heatwave Cycle Club (HCC), led by McKay and includes Williams, is expected to be a part of this event riding under the banner of RBC, but being led by Guy Costa who according to reports, has brought in 11 more T&T riders with him.
The battle for supremacy in the Veteran category will be as heated as the Open category, as cyclists like United States-based Guyanese Aubrey Gordon, Aubrey Bryce and Jonathan Creavalle will do battle with Linden Blackman and Kenneth Lovell for honours, with Blackman and Lovell already involved in their own head-to-head battle for supremacy.
The first stage which covers a distance of 46.6 miles, pedals off from Corriverton at 07:30 h this morning and proceeds to New Amsterdam for the finish, with the second stage proceeding from Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue, a distance of 60.4 miles, from 14:00sh this afternoon.
The third and final stage will see the remaining cyclists travel from Kara Kara on the Linden Highway from 07:30 h and proceed to Homestretch Avenue, a distance of 62 miles tomorrow morning, bringing the total miles for all three stages to 169 miles, after which the presentation of prizes will be made at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.