Greaves takes third stage as Quintero still overall leader
INAUGURAL Tour of Guyana  champion Alonso Greaves comfortably won the third stage of this year’s event which is being organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCY&S) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) in a time of 58m 42 seconds yesterday morning. A total of 51 cyclists faced Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy at the starting point in front of the Wales Police Station where they braved overcast conditions and proceeded to Bushy Park, Parika, where 49 took the chcquered flag which was waved by National cycling coach Hassan Mohamed.
Despite several short breaks from a few Guyanese cyclists including Greaves, Orville Hinds and even Gordon Kennedy, Miami-based Cuban cyclist Antonio Quintero who took the first stage, still holds the overall lead heading into today’s fourth stage.
Warren ‘40’ McKay, defending champion Geron Williams, Godfrey Pollydore, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams and Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton rounded off the top six behind Greaves, closely followed by a peloton that included Robin Persaud, Junior Niles, Enzo Matthews, Gordon Kennedy and Neil Reece.
After being sent on their way, Niles, Christopher Persaud and Kennedy made a move to the front where they enjoyed a lead of 20 metres over the peloton, who was once again led by the Miami-based Team Coco’s, who worked in tandem at the front to secure Quintero’s lead.
Five Cubans in Quintero, Yosvany Falcon, Frank Travieso, Leyner Alonso and Geraldo Rodriguez, along with the lone Dominican Republic representative Jose Frank Rodriquez, once again showed their Guyanese counterparts the meaning of the word ‘teamwork’, as they portrayed same throughout the 35-mile course.
Every break, irrespective of who made it, was chased down and wheeled in by the chasing peloton with Team Coco’s at the helm, while the second-placed Eric Sankar was guilty of bringing back the peloton to both Greaves and Ian Jackson who had made a break of their own five miles off the finish line.
After three stages, Quintero has an overall time of 5:01.13 secs, three seconds ahead of Sankar and Marlon Williams who are joint second and a further four seconds ahead of Reece, who is the leading junior cyclist in the event.
Tony Simon and the differently-able Walter Grant-Stuart complete the top six, with Simon having an overall time of 5:01.21 secs and Grant-Stuart one second behind.
The fourth stage will pedal off this morning at 07:00 h, from Supenaam to Charity and back to Suddie for the finish, covering a distance of 62 miles and if the Guyanese cyclists cannot come up with a plan to combat the efforts of Team Coco’s, then Quintero will ink his name further into the history of the GCF when the fifth and final stage commences tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Dr Ramsammy thanked the cyclists for participating in the event, especially the foreign contingent. He said the organisers were working assiduously to make it a premier event in the Caribbean.
“Every year, we attract riders from out of Guyana and this speaks volumes on the quality of the race, while at the same time we are looking at making this race a premier one in the Caribbean with the hope of attracting more cyclists from our CARICOM brothers and sisters’ countries.
“However, in order for us to do so, the MOH, MCY&S and GCF who have committed to hosting this race until the year 2015, for which we have secured sponsorship, will be looking at ways and means to add to the cash prizes being distributed at the end of this event.”
He lauded the cyclists for maintaining a disciplined attitude in the race so far and encouraged them to continue the fight not only against the deadly disease HIV/AIDS, but the right to a Healthy Lifestyle by all and sundry.
Pleased with the performance and tactics exhibited by Team Coco’s, Dr Ramsammy hinted at having a special team of cyclists including the three winners to date, Greaves, Niles and Geron Williams, along with three other elite cyclists, compete in next year’s tournament as a special team.