Niles takes top position in record time
CARLTON Wheelers Cycle Club’s (CWCC) Junior Niles chalked up his first victory of the year, when he rode away with the 14th annual Cheddi Jagan Memorial cycle road race, in a record time of 2:08:39seconds when cyclists took to the road in the Ancient County of Berbice yesterday.
Niles’ time was close to 20 minutes faster than that of defending champion Alonso Greaves’ 2h: 29: 20 recorded last year.
A record 62 cyclists were sent on their way from Freedom House in New Amsterdam to Number 55 Village Corentyne by Regional Chairman of Region 6, Zulfiqar Mustapha, after brief remarks from chairman of the Cheddi Jagan Commemoration Committee Narvin Chandrapal.
Berbice’s female cyclist Marica Dick suffered cramps in her left leg as she approached the Berbice River Bridge and took no further part in the race, while Greaves, 2009 champion Warren Mc Kay, Robin Persaud and Raynauth Jeffrey made a move to the front as they took the turn for 19th Road.
The quartet enjoyed the lead ahead of the peloton that included Niles, Albert Philander, Eric Sankar, Enzo Matthews, Neil Reece Jnr, Ian Jackson, Kennard Lovell and Linden Blackman among others, before they were caught at the entrance to Fyrish Village.
The cyclists stayed together before Niles, Jackson, Sankar, Matthews, Jeffrey, Christopher Persaud and Raymond Newton made their move to the front as they approached the Rose Hall Town symbolic Arch.
They worked together in setting the pace and increased the lead over the peloton which seemed to have no answer for the front runners, whose lead stepped up from a mere 15 seconds to just under two minutes.
They stayed together and passed the quartet that got away on their way down and as they approached the finish line which was located at Babu John, Port Mourant, the 32 year old Niles who is a father of four showed that he can be ranked amongst the best sprinters on the local scene, when he outsprinted Newton and Sankar to claim victory by about six bicycle lengths.
Newton, Sankar, Matthews, Christopher Persaud and Jeffrey completed the top six positions in the Open category, while Jackson who stayed with the frontrunners until he reached the turn around point for the Veterans Under-50 at Number 51 Village took that category from Lovell and Blackman respectively.
Naomi Singh took the female top position from Linden’s Hazena Barrett, with Jeffrey overall sixth position landing him the top junior prize ahead of the Linden duo of Montel Anthony and Akeem Arthur respectively.
Dexter Wilson was the first Upright finisher, taking that category from Shawn Frank and Shawn Mayers, while Walter Isaacs won the Veteran’s Over 60 and Lancelot Rose the Veteran’s Over-50 categories respectively and 64 year old Monty Parris won the Oldest Competitor prize.
Eight sprint prizes were up for grabs during the 55 mile event, with Newton and Mc Kay taking two each, while the other four were divided equally among Sankar, Matthews, Christopher Persaud and Alex Mendes.
Prior to the presentation of prizes, brief remarks were done by Mustapha, Chandrapaul and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, with all the speakers congratulating the cyclists and the organizing committee for making the event a successful one.
The second of three races will pedal off this Sunday from Wales Police Station on the West Bank of Demerara and proceed to Bushy Park on the East Bank of Essequibo and back to the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the finish.