… Jiffy Lubes Auto Sales and Spares to sponsor first stage
THE 17th Annual Cheddi Jagan Memorial Three-Stage cycle road race will wheel off tomorrow in the West Demerara area beginning at 08:00hrs.The first stage commences from outside the Wales Police Station, West Bank Demerara and from there the junior and senior cyclists will journey to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo before returning to the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the finish while the veterans, mountain bikers and female cyclists will turn back at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara.
The first six finishers will receive cash prizes and trophies as will the first three juniors, veterans, mountain bikers and females.
A special prize will be awarded to the oldest cyclist to complete the course.
The defending champion for this stage is Robin Persaud who clocked one hour 56 seconds 44.24 seconds in winning the stage last year.
Michael Anthony won the juniors category while Kennard Lovell, Ozia McAully and Hazima Barret won the veterans, mountain bikers and female categories respectively.
Persaud, however, will have his work cut out if he is to make a successful defence of the title, since cyclists such as Anthony, Orville Hinds, Alanzo Greaves, Geron Williams, Raynauth Jeffrey and Marlon `Fishy’ Williams are all in good nick at the moment.
Then there are the likes of Warren McKay, Paul De Nobrega and Raul Leal who all seem to be getting into their own.
While Jiffy Lubes Auto Sales and Spares is the main sponsor for this stage which is being held in West Demerara for the sixth year, BK International, who has been on board for the past 16 years, will once again throw in his dollars and resources for the stage.
The second stage is set for March 9, beginning from the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic New Amsterdam, Berbice office and will proceed to No. 55 Village, Corentyne before returning to finish at Port Mourant.
However, like the first stage, the veterans, mountain bikers and females will turn back at Hogstye to finish at Port Mourant, and like the first stage, the first six overall finishers as well as the first three juniors, first three veterans and first three females will be rewarded for their efforts.
The defending champion of the Berbice stage is Jeffrey who clocked two hours 13 minutes 26 seconds last year.
Raul had won the junior category last year, while Lovell and McAully won the veterans and mountain bike categories respectively.
This will be the 17th year that this leg of the event will be staged in Berbice.
The final stage is set for Essequibo Coast on March 23 and the cyclists will wheel off from Supenaam and proceed to Charity before returning to Suddie for the finish.
The prizes will be presented to the cyclists in the same order as that of the first two stages.
The presentation after each stage will be done by a member of the PPP/C executive as well as representatives of the sponsors.
By Michael DaSilva