CARLTON Wheelers Cycle Club’s (CWCC) and defending champion Robin Persaud rode another tactical race to pedal away with the 21st annual R&R International sponsored Mashramani 40 mile road race yesterday morning in a time of 1.45:16. Forty eight (48) cyclists amongst whom were Marlon ‘Fishy Williams, Warren ‘40’ Mc Kay, Alonso Greaves, Raynauth Jeffrey, Paul De Nobrega, Enzo Matthews, Albert Philander and Walter Grant-Stuart, were sent on their way by national cycling coach and organizer of the event Hassan Mohammed.
Despite there being several breaks during the upward journey of the event as the cyclists rode to the turn back point at Bushy Park Parika, De Nobrega and later Grant-Stuart made a move on the downward journey, as they approached Uitvlugt.
Persaud, Williams and Matthews connected to the leading duo as they approached Windsor Forest, while Philander and Orville Hinds connected with the quintet at front, midway through the village of Vreed-en-Hoop.
Persaud’s sprinting power guided him to victory, his second in two days after he won the feature event around the inner circuit of the National Park the previous day, that was also sponsored by R&R International.
Grant-Stuart, Philander, Hinds, De Nobrega and Williams completed the top six in that order behind Persaud, while De Nobrega took the top junior position from Ray Leal and Jeffrey with Talim Shaw who finished eighth overall, won the Veteran’s category from Junior Niles and Raymond Newton.
Walter Isaacs took the Veteran’s Over-50 category from Lancelot Rose and newcomer Silas Brummell while the six sprint prizes that were up for grabs during the course of the race, was won by Mc Kay who took two with the other four being divided equally between De Nobrega, Williams, Grant-Stuart and Greaves.
The cyclists will now turn their attention to the carriage way in the Ancient County of Berbice this Sunday, when they do battle in the sixth Annual Cheddi/Janet Jagan Memorial event. (Calvin Roberts)