… buoyed by Commonwealth Games selection

DISAPPOINTED with his showing in last month’s Independence Three-stage cycle road race, but buoyed by his Commonwealth Games selection, Guyana Cycling Federation national Time Trial and Road Race champion Raynauth ‘Obeah Man’ Jeffrey is eagerly looking forward to defending his titles this weekend.

Riding for Team Coco’s (Guyana), Jeffrey clocked an overall time of 3h: 48m: 40.71secs to take last year’s national road race from Alanzo Greaves, who stopped the clock three minutes later followed by his Roraima Bikers Club teammate Warren McKay.
Speaking with Chronicle Sport yesterday, the 20-year-old Jeffrey said mechanical problems prevented him from recording a better placing in the three-stage event, but he felt pleased to be selected for the Commonwealth Games team, a testament of his hard work put in over the years.
“When I was well positioned at the front of the breakaway peloton in the first stage, I suffered a puncture and had to wait over 10 minutes for a wheel change, at which time the chasing pack had passed me.
When I got the change, I had to put in an extra effort to catch up with the pack, while the frontrunners were approaching the finish line, so my hard work went in vain, a result of which I suffered cramps in my legs during the second stage and could not push for a better placing,” said Jeffrey.
He said that with the race out of his grasp, his next best option was to ensure his teammate Darren Matthews of Barbados finished as the overall champion, something that eventually occurred and for which he was pleased.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s Time Trial and Sunday’s Road Race championships, Jeffrey, who shocked his more illustrious opponents with his win last year, despite being in impeccable form prior to that, said he is looking forward to the defence of his titles earnestly.
“I am feeling great. After the three-stage, I put in a lot of work on my bike, while I was also visiting the gym regularly, since I aim to redeem myself first in the Time Trials and then the road race, with Domination being my watchword.”
He said he will be going to Anguilla for next weekend’s John .T. Memorial cycling event, with the aim of improving on his third place performance last year, by going two places better atop the podium.
Asked who will be his fiercest competitor for this weekend’s event, he boldly said none, even though he has earmarked Geron ‘Super Buck’ Williams as the man to watch, despite his having certain hiccups.
“Geron is fit. He is in a zone primed with condition following his exploits in the United States of America, where he was riding for a pro team.
“Nevertheless, he still have to put in the effort in order to get the gains here on our roads and while in the USA he has a team working for him, down here he will be facing an uphill task if he wishes to come out on top,” said Jeffrey.
He added, “I have noticed that he (Geron) is not a distance rider, but his fitness that he goes into races with, serves him well in the end as he has the condition. In addition to that, he has been racing every weekend in the USA, so he has the mileage in his legs.
“But when I looked at him last year when he returned from his stint in the USA where he was winning races, to me he was cold and ineffective, but I am not underestimating him or anyone this weekend. All I know is I ma the champion and I am going out there to keep my title.”
With regard to his Commonwealth Games selection, he is viewing it as a chance to showcase his talent to some professional team out there, since it is his ambition to one day ride and represent a pro team on the international circuit.
This year’s championships will be held over two days, with the time trials for Junior, Senior, Veterans, Ladies and Juvenile cyclists taking place tomorrow from Long Creek on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, proceeding to Loo Creek and back to the place of origin and all cyclists are asked to be at the starting point for 09:00hrs.
On Sunday, the National Road Race championships will pedal off from Homestretch Avenue at 07:00hrs, with registration starting at 06:00hrs and will see cyclists in four different categories, proceeding to four different turn-back points on the highway.
The seniors will proceed to Kairuni Creek and return to Homestretch Avenue, covering exactly 100 miles, while the juniors will turn back at the Police Outpost on the highway and return to starting point, for a distance of 60 miles.
The veterans and female riders will turn back at Kuru Kuru and head to Georgetown, covering a distance of 45 miles, while the juveniles will turn back at Coverden, for a distance of 40 miles.
Improved times should be the order of the day for this year’s championships, especially with the participation of some of the cyclists who have been chosen by the GCF to compete in next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3.
In the junior division Michael Anthony emulated Jeffrey by copping both the Time Trial and Road Race, clocking 2h. 59m: 36secs for the former ahead of Shaquille Agard and Hamzah Eastman.
Naomi Singh of East Coast Demerara finished almost two minutes ahead of Linden’s Hazina Barrett to cop the female title, while England-based Fraser-Greene, who won in 2012, occupied third spot.
The top three finishers in the Veterans Over-45 race were Ian Jackson, Raymond Newton and Gary Benjamin, while Junior Niles comfortably won the Veterans Under-45 ahead of Ralph Williams and Sybourne Fernandes.

(By Calvin Roberts)