MCYS/MOH/GCF ‘Ride for Life 4’ …
… Top six remains the same
RORAIMA Bikers Club’s (RBC) and inaugural champion Alonso Greaves yesterday etched his name into the annals of the Guyana Cycling Federation  history book when he rode away with the fourth stage of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCY&S)/Ministry of Health fourth ‘Ride for Life’ cycle road race in a time of 2h 36m 33 secs.
As he did in the third stage the previous day, Greaves out-sprinted Yosvany Falcon, defending champion Geron Williams, Jose Frank Rodriguez, Enzo Matthews and Paul De Nobrega to become the first man to win back-to-back stages in the event which he won in its inaugural year three years ago.
Apart from the fact that he remains the lone cyclist to have won four stages in the event, Greaves managed to remove 10 seconds from the time that separate himself from the present race leader in Team Coco’s Antonio Quintero, who along with the other top five leaders, finished 15 seconds behind the first six finishers of the penultimate stage.
Junior Niles who celebrated his birthday yesterday continued his custom by moving to front after being sent on their way by Carl Brandon, Director of Youth in the MCY&S, but this time he was joined by Warren ‘40’ McKay, Chris Persaud and Trinidad and Tobago’s Luces Barry.
As they did in the two stages before, Team Coco’s allowed the frontrunners to enjoy themselves while they led the chasing peloton which included Eric Sankar, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, Neil Reece Jr, Tony Simon and Walter Grant-Stuart who, along with Quintero, occupy the top six overall positions.
The frontrunners enjoyed a lead of 150 metres over the chasing peloton, before McKay, Persaud and Niles gave up the chase as the peloton led by Team Coco’s Yosvany Falcon connected to them, while Barry refused to reduce his pace, enjoying a solo run until he was joined by Geron Williams.
The two stayed together from Johanna Cecilia until they reached Danielstown, at which point the peloton, led by no other than Team Coco’s, wheeled them in, before Linden’s Mark Lewis thought he had enough of the peloton and made a move to the front, enjoying a lead of approximately 300 metres all the way to the turn back point just before the Charity Market, until another spirited effort from Falcon wheeled him in.
With the peloton minus Virgil Jones who was the lone cyclist from the list of 49 starters not to complete the stage, making its way to the finish line, led by Team Coco’s and at times Greaves and Robin Persaud, 12 cyclists, among whom were the top six overall leaders, Falcon, Rodriguez, Godfrey Pollydore and Raymond Newton, made a move to the front.
There were several mini attacks amongst the cyclists at the front, but it was all short-lived as they stayed together, before Greaves, Falcon, Geron Williams, Rodriguez, Matthews and De Nobrega opened up a lead of 30 seconds over the chasing peloton who reduced same to 15 seconds with the sprint to home as the frontrunners eased across the line.
The final results was marred by controversy, as Rodriguez was awarded the third place ahead of Geron Williams, who forced the adjudicators to have a look at photos taken at the finish line, which resulted in the positions being reversed.
Today’s final stage will certainly be an enthralling and exciting one, as Marlon Williams and McKay are known to be good hill riders and with Quintero enjoying a slim three seconds lead over both Marlon Williams and Sankar, certainly Team Coco’s work will be cut out for them as they seek to ensure their teammate walks away with the first prize of US$1 000 at the end of the race.
The cyclists will pedal off from Kara Kara on the Linden Highway at 08:00 h this morning and proceed to Homestretch Avenue, covering a distance of 62 miles, at the completion of which the presentation of prizes will be done at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.