ONCE again, Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club’s Robin Persaud rode a tactical race to claim this year’s fourth annual Geddes Grant/Seven Seas/Dr. Chase 50 mile cycle road race held on the West Demerara roadways yesterday,

doing so ahead of United Cycle Club’s Orville Hinds in a time of 1h. 55m: 04secs.
Also coming out victorious for yesterday’s event were Mario King (Junior), Kennard Lovell (Veteran) and Stephanoo Husbands (Mountain Bike), with Alfie Sonaram, Raphael Leung and Jamal John receiving Special Prizes for their sterling efforts as junior competitors.
Seniors and juniors (22 in total) pedalled from Wales Police Station to Bushy Park, Parika and back to the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the finish, while the Veterans and Mountain Bike competitors rode to Uitvlugt from the point of origin and back to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
The senior and junior cyclists were sent on their way by Race Organiser and National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohammed and immediately, Kester Croal made his move to the front of the peloton, where he collected the first sprint prize, before he was caught by the peloton.
The riders among whom were Persaud, Hinds, King, Jude Bentley, Marlon Williams, Godfrey Pollydore, Stephen Fernandes, stayed together until they reached  Vreed-en-Hoop, wherein Fernandes and Bentley made their move to the front.
They held a lead of 150 metres over the peloton, before Persaud and Hinds connected with them at Leonora, where they stayed together until the turn back point, with a hard working Williams, who had separated himself in a solo chase, being caught by the peloton which was led by King.
On the downward journey, Bentley and Fernandes were caught by the Williams led peloton as they approached Uitvlugt, while Persaud and Hinds refused to give up their position at the front, holding a lead of close to 400 metres over their competitors.
Persaud stayed behind Hinds until they reached the 200 metres sprint zone, wherein he exercised his ability to outsprint the Lindener and take the top spot, with Bentley rolling in a comfortable third, while Pollydore showed he can still sprint, by winning a dual with Williams for the fourth position, with King finishing sixth.
King’s position was enough to land him the top junior prize ahead of Hamza Eastman and Kravitz Jeffrey, while Bentley, Persaud and Hinds landed two of the eight sprint prizes that were up for grabs, with Croal and Fernandes taking the other.
Lovell claimed the Veteran’s category in a time of 1h. 25m: 51secs ahead of Shameer Baksh and Gary Benjamin and Husbands the Mountain Bike category over Keon Thomas and Lennon Dick, respectively.
Representatives of the sponsors, Ms. Karen Connell (Product Specialist for Seven Seas) and Mahase Itwaru (Pharmacy and Product Specialist for Dr. Chase Nerve and Blood Tonic) were on hand to witness the end of the senior race and also assist with the distribution of prizes.
In her brief remarks, Connell complimented the 32 competitors who made the race a successful venture, while noting that the products which Geddes Grant decided to associate with the event contribute to good health and vitality, traits which should be high on the list of athletes.