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HAVING taken the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Senior Time Trials title the previous day, Team Coco’s Raynauth ‘Obeah Man’ Jeffrey rode a brilliant race to take the GCF Senior Road Race Championship honours, when that event was hosted yesterday.So brilliant was his win, that he completed the 100 miles journey, which saw the cyclists pedaling off from Homestretch Avenue, proceeding to Seweyo on the Linden Highway and back to the place of finish, in a time of 3h. 48mins:40secs.The second placed Alanzo Greaves of Roraima Bikers Club, placed second finishing 3mins:09secs behind Jeffrey, while his teammate Warren ‘40’ McKay and Walter Grant –Stuart of Flying Stars Cycle Club, finished third and fourth respectively, one second behind Greaves.
Also in winner’s row yesterday were Ian ‘Dumb Boy’ Jackson, Junior Niles, Michael Anthony and Naomi Singh, who adorned themselves in national glory by taking the Veteran’s Over-45, Veteran’s Under-45, Juniors and Ladies titles, respectively, but it was Jeffrey who stole the spotlight to crown off a fabulous weekend of cycling.
Twenty-six (26) senior riders were sent on their way by president of the GCF Cheryl Thompson, five minutes after she closed off registration and as they passed the National Cultural Centre for the first time, Greaves made a solo move to the front where he held a lead of 150 metres over the peloton.
He was joined by Team Coco’s Paul DeNobrega as they turned from Mandela Avenue onto the East Bank Demerara carriageway just in front of DSL and together they increased the lead over the peloton, which included McKay, Grant-Stuart, Robin Persaud, defending champion Orville Hinds and Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, just to name a few.
Greaves and DeNobrega, Guyana’s 2012 Junior Sportsman of the Year shared the work load at the front of the peloton, but the hard work put in by Williams along with Jeffrey, Persaud, Orville and his younger brother Delroy Hinds and young Akeem Wilson, saw them connecting with the front duo at Coverden.
Not one to give up the hard work he puts in, Greaves attacked the peloton as they rounded the One Mile turn on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, but was wheeled in shortly after, before he made another move to the front, where he was joined by Delroy Hinds, who showed stamina and determination to pedal alongside his more illustrious opponent.
As they approached the Hauraruni Creek, Williams, Persaud, Grant-Stuart, Wilson and 2012 Time Trial champion Jude Bentley, made a connection, before Jeffrey, Orville Hinds, Christopher Holder and several others, including DeNobrega made their connection shortly after, approximately 500 metres from the turn back point.
As they made their way around Race Commissar Malcolm Sonaram who issued the instructions to turn back, Jeffrey upped the tempo and held a lead of 75 metres over Greaves, Persaud, Delroy Hinds and Grant Stuart.
That lead increased with every pedal action from the 19 year old Jeffrey, a former Junior prodigy who rode like a man possessed, holding a 1m: 39secs advantage on Greaves, Orville Hinds and Grant-Stuart, while several other riders including Delroy Hinds called it a day on the downward journey, before the front runner had exited the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
As he came off the hilly terrain and onto a level playfield (the East Bank Demerara roadways) for the journey to the finish line, Jeffrey refused to let his lead decrease, touching the two minutes barrier over his opponents on his way to the finish line, which he later crossed with ease, as several starters failed to finish the course.
Holder, Bentley and the former champion Orville Hinds crossed the finish line approximately 2m: 45secs after McKay and Grant Stuart, while the presentation of medallions was done to the respective winners by Thompson 15 minutes later, but not before she made brief remarks.
Meanwhile, RBC’s Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton and Gary Benjamin of Berbice Flying Stars, finished second and third to Jackson in the Veteran’s Over-45 category, with Ralph Williams and Syborne Fernandes doing the same to Niles, who stopped the clock at 2h.45m in the Under-45 category.
Sixteen (16) year old Shaquille Agard, who at the completion of this year’s Independence three stage cycle road race, was the recipient of a cycle from United States based Aubrey Gordon, and Hamza Eastman, were second and third to Anthony who took the Junior Category in a time of 2h. 59m: 36secs.
Singh turned the tides on defending champion Hazina Bharat and Time Trial Queen Claire Fraser-Green, when she won the Ladies title in a time of 2h. 25m: 10secs, as Bharat, Fraser-Green and Berbice’ Marica Dick finished behind her in that order.
The cyclists will now turn their attention to this morning’s RBC’s organised National Milling Company/ ‘Wheat Up’ race programme which pedals off from 09:00hrs at the Sea Wall bandstand and has over $400,000 in trophies and cash prizes to be won.
Also in winner’s row yesterday were Ian ‘Dumb Boy’ Jackson, Junior Niles, Michael Anthony and Naomi Singh, who adorned themselves in national glory by taking the Veteran’s Over-45, Veteran’s Under-45, Juniors and Ladies titles, respectively, but it was Jeffrey who stole the spotlight to crown off a fabulous weekend of cycling.
Twenty-six (26) senior riders were sent on their way by president of the GCF Cheryl Thompson, five minutes after she closed off registration and as they passed the National Cultural Centre for the first time, Greaves made a solo move to the front where he held a lead of 150 metres over the peloton.
He was joined by Team Coco’s Paul DeNobrega as they turned from Mandela Avenue onto the East Bank Demerara carriageway just in front of DSL and together they increased the lead over the peloton, which included McKay, Grant-Stuart, Robin Persaud, defending champion Orville Hinds and Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, just to name a few.
Greaves and DeNobrega, Guyana’s 2012 Junior Sportsman of the Year shared the work load at the front of the peloton, but the hard work put in by Williams along with Jeffrey, Persaud, Orville and his younger brother Delroy Hinds and young Akeem Wilson, saw them connecting with the front duo at Coverden.
Not one to give up the hard work he puts in, Greaves attacked the peloton as they rounded the One Mile turn on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, but was wheeled in shortly after, before he made another move to the front, where he was joined by Delroy Hinds, who showed stamina and determination to pedal alongside his more illustrious opponent.
As they approached the Hauraruni Creek, Williams, Persaud, Grant-Stuart, Wilson and 2012 Time Trial champion Jude Bentley, made a connection, before Jeffrey, Orville Hinds, Christopher Holder and several others, including DeNobrega made their connection shortly after, approximately 500 metres from the turn back point.
As they made their way around Race Commissar Malcolm Sonaram who issued the instructions to turn back, Jeffrey upped the tempo and held a lead of 75 metres over Greaves, Persaud, Delroy Hinds and Grant Stuart.
That lead increased with every pedal action from the 19 year old Jeffrey, a former Junior prodigy who rode like a man possessed, holding a 1m: 39secs advantage on Greaves, Orville Hinds and Grant-Stuart, while several other riders including Delroy Hinds called it a day on the downward journey, before the front runner had exited the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
As he came off the hilly terrain and onto a level playfield (the East Bank Demerara roadways) for the journey to the finish line, Jeffrey refused to let his lead decrease, touching the two minutes barrier over his opponents on his way to the finish line, which he later crossed with ease, as several starters failed to finish the course.
Holder, Bentley and the former champion Orville Hinds crossed the finish line approximately 2m: 45secs after McKay and Grant Stuart, while the presentation of medallions was done to the respective winners by Thompson 15 minutes later, but not before she made brief remarks.
Meanwhile, RBC’s Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton and Gary Benjamin of Berbice Flying Stars, finished second and third to Jackson in the Veteran’s Over-45 category, with Ralph Williams and Syborne Fernandes doing the same to Niles, who stopped the clock at 2h.45m in the Under-45 category.
Sixteen (16) year old Shaquille Agard, who at the completion of this year’s Independence three stage cycle road race, was the recipient of a cycle from United States based Aubrey Gordon, and Hamza Eastman, were second and third to Anthony who took the Junior Category in a time of 2h. 59m: 36secs.
Singh turned the tides on defending champion Hazina Bharat and Time Trial Queen Claire Fraser-Green, when she won the Ladies title in a time of 2h. 25m: 10secs, as Bharat, Fraser-Green and Berbice’ Marica Dick finished behind her in that order.
The cyclists will now turn their attention to this morning’s RBC’s organised National Milling Company/ ‘Wheat Up’ race programme which pedals off from 09:00hrs at the Sea Wall bandstand and has over $400,000 in trophies and cash prizes to be won.
