SEVENTEEN-year-old Continental Cycle Club (CCC) cyclist Paul De Nobrega shocked a star-studded field that included 2010 Commonwealth Games representatives Alonso Greaves and Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, to take the feature race in a time of 1:20.32 secs when the 18th Annual Ricks and Sari race programme pedalled off around the newly re-laid inner circuit of the National Park yesterday. Twenty-five cyclists, including 2010 Person with Disability (PWD) award winner Walter Grant-Stuart, Enzo Matthews and Robin and Christopher Persaud (no relation), faced the starter Joseph Britton for the 35-lap event and after 10 laps, Grant-Stuart and Robin Persaud took a 75-metre lead over the peloton.
The two stayed in that position for 12 laps, with Grant-Stuart picking up two sprint prizes and Robin Persaud three before De Nobrega, who is a student of The Imperial College, and Greaves connected with them, followed by Linden’s Rastaff O’selmo.
The chasing peloton that included Williams, Matthews, Alex Mendes, Kurt La Rose and both Persauds, did not let the frontrunners out of their sight, as they reduced the gap to approximately 50 metres, and with seven laps to go, O’selmo made a solo move to front, enjoying a comfortable lead over the peloton for four of the final seven laps before he was wheeled in.
Many cyclists found it difficult to keep up with the pace that was set, hence they did not finish and as those who remained to battle it out approached Britton for the bell lap, they were led by Grant-Stuart, Greaves Robin Persaud and Matthews.
To the surprise of many gathered at the venue to witness the first race programme for this year under the coordinating skills of national cycling coach Hassan Mohammed, De Nobrega made his move to front just before the penultimate turn for the sprint and was never chased by anyone in the peloton.
He took the race with ease, in similar fashion to when he won the Inter-Guiana Games cycle road race last year, while Greaves outsprinted Robin Persaud, Mark Lewis, La Rose and Mendez to take the second position.
Earlier in the day, Sylvan Lewis took the BMX Boys 9-12 three laps event from Shaquille Campbell and Deraj Garbarran, Randy Haynes the 12-14 from Darren Ramsammy and Kemaj Sanichar, Hazina Barrett the Boys and Girls 12-14 from Romario Samules and Naomi Singh respectively.
In the Veteran Under-50 five laps event, Kennard Lovell defeated Turhan Harris and Andrew Spencer, with Lancelot Rose taking the Over-50 category from Hillary Fraser and Omar McDougal, while Maurice Fagundes took the first-ever Over-60 category from Anthony Ferrell and Neville Atwell.
Michael Anthony completed the Juveniles 10-lap event in a time of 24:11 ahead of Marlon King and Montel Anthony, while the Uprights five-lap race was won by Dexter Wilson from Andre Petty and Nimrod John in that order.
Prior to the presentation of prizes, Mohammed congratulated all the cyclists who made the year’s first cycling programme a success and told them both young and old, once they keep training, he will find races for them to compete in on the local circuit.
The action will continue this weekend at the same venue, where cycling fans and enthusiasts will get to see the cyclists compete in the 31st Annual National Sports Commission (NSC)-sponsored and organised Mashramani programme. The cyclists will then take to the road the following day for the 40-mile ride from the Demerara Harbour Bridge at 09:00 h to Bushy Park and back for the finish.