Team Coco’s Matthews leads butWilliams eying victory today

UNITED States based cycle team, Team Coco’s Darren Matthews will go into today’s final stage of the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) sponsored 32nd Annual Three Stage Cycle Road Race with a two-second advantage over Guyana’s Geron Williams after winning the first stage and placing second in the second stage yesterday.

The finish in today’s final stage (Kara Kara, Linden to Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown) will determine the top six overall finishers.
Despite winning the first stage and finishing second in the second stage, Matthews has a mere two second lead on Williams due to being penalized for an infringement of the rules in the first stage.
According to race organiser Hassan Mohamed, all the participants were reminded where the final feeding point will be closed, but Matthews’ camp broke the rules and went ahead and fed him water after the final feeding point was closed, just over the Canje Bridge in Berbice and this had cost him three seconds from his bonus time for winning the stage which began at 07:30hrs yesterday morning from outside the Corriverton Police Station and ended at Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam.
Williams placed a close second and secured a seven-second bonus time, the same amount that was given to the Barbadian, Matthews, while Guyana’s Paul DeNobrega and Delroy Hinds finished third and fourth respectively and received five and three seconds bonus time respectively.
Marlon `Fishy’ Williams won the second stage (Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue) and received a 10-second bonus time, Matthews placed second for a seven-second bonus time, while Geron Williams and Mauricio Robario of Team Coco placed third and fourth respectively and received five and three seconds bonus time respectively.
There was a record breaking 85 starters for the first stage and shortly after they were sent off, there were a few minor attempts at establishing breaks, but they never materialized, however, as the cyclists approached Number 19 Road, a break was established with eight riders who went on to battle among themselves for the top three positions.
In the end, Matthews crossed the line ahead of Geron Williams, returning a time of one hour, 44 minutes, 23 seconds. Denobrega was third and Hinds fourth.
The six prime prizes were shared among Andrew Simon, Junior Niles, Raynauth Jeffrey and Marlon Williams who all won one each and Matthews who claimed two.
From the start of the second stage, the cyclists all made their intentions known by going at a very fast rate and there were several attempts, like in the first stage, to establish breaks, but they never materialized.
It was not until the pack approached half Way Tree that one was established, but unfortunately, Delroy Hinds rode into Jude Bentley sending him crashing to the road and Geron Williams who was just behind crashed into them.
However, Geron Williams got to his feet and started pacing, connecting to Alonzo Greaves in the process and the two connected back to the leaders.
Together the leaders came for the finish and Marlon Williams prevailed in the sprint home, registering two hours, 23 minutes, 02 seconds.
Today’s final stage will get underway at 08:00hrs from Kara Kara, Linden Highway and conclude on Homestretch Avenue at about 10:45hrs.

(By Michael DaSilva)