HAVING recorded the fastest time for the year around the inner circuit of the National Park the previous day, 22 year old Roraima Bikers Clubs (RBC) Alonso Greaves outsprinted defending champion Geron Williams to take the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) organised and sponsored Mashramani 40- mile road race yesterday. Thirty-five (35) cyclists were sent on their way by Joseph Britton and as they approached the Vreed-en-Hoop junction, Greaves, Geron Williams, Eric Sankar, Robin Persaud, Raymond Newton, Marlon Williams, Walter Grant-Stuart, Paul De Nobrega and Mark Sonaram made a move to front.
They stayed together, working in tandem and even sharing the sprint prizes that were up for grabs, with Sankar taking three of the six, while Geron Williams, Robin Persaud and Newton shared the other three on the upward journey that led the cyclists to the turn back point at Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo.
On the return trip, Geron Williams, who did the double last year by winning both NSC/Mashramani races in the National Park and the road race, signalled his intentions to retain one of the titles, when he made his move to front as they approached Zeelugt.
He was joined by Robin Persaud, Greaves and later Grant-Stuart and the quartet stayed together for the remainder of the race, before Greaves, who is known as one of the better sprinters around on the local scene, displayed same when he out-sprinted the trio to the line.
He completed the 40 miles journey in a time of 1h: 43m: 37s ahead of Geron Williams, Persaud, Grant-Stuart, Marlon Williams and Sankar respectively, while De Nobrega was first amongst the juniors with Kurt La Rose second, with Newton taking the top podium spot from Kennard Lovell in the veterans category.
Asked to comment on the victory, Greaves said it was fitting when taking into consideration his heart’s desire to dominate the local cycling stage as he did two years ago.
“First of all, I am feeling happy with this win. It puts me in the frame of mind to dominate local cycling and at the same time, do the historic double which is winning both the NSC three stage and the HIV/AIDS Awareness five stage races respectively. But in order for me to do so, I have to maintain my fitness,” stated Greaves.
He was high in praise for the resurfaced inner circuit of the National Park, on which he recorded 1h: 17m: 58s the previous day, while promising to do a faster time later in the year.
“I love racing around the inner circuit of the National Park, since it’s a criterion event and at the moment, it is still wet so you will not get faster times, but once it dries out, I will be pushing myself to clock around 1h:15m and even lower, but that depends on my fitness and condition as well.”
Already, Greaves has set his sights on the next road race which will pedal off this Sunday from Carifesta Avenue to Belfied Car Park and back, in honour of the late President LFS Burnham.
Britton along with NSC’s Garvey Harry assisted with the distribution of prizes at the end of the event in the absence of Director of Sport in the NSC Neil Kumar.