… DeNobrega to defend Kadir Mohamed Title

PAUL DeNobrega copped the coveted ounce of gold in last year’s second instalment of the Kadir Mohammed Memorial 80-mile cycle road race. Almost a year later, he is set to defend his title when the third edition of the gruelling race gets under way on Sunday.Like last year, cyclists face the starter’s whistle on Homestretch Avenue; proceed along the East Bank Highway onto the Linden/Soesdyke Highway to return to Homestretch for the finish, with a total of three ounces of gold up for grabs. The overall winner gets one ounce of smelted gold.
This year’s winnings total some seven hundred thousand dollars.
DeNobrega took victory in 3 hours 12 minutes 39 seconds last year. Registration for Sunday’s race begins at 07:00hrs, with the race expected to get start 30 minutes later.
The race, which is sponsored by Kadir’s Enterprise, Bartica, is expected to see most of the nation’s top cyclists in the saddle as well as all the juniors who recently returned from Suriname.
Five of the top cyclists in Alanzo Greaves, Geron Williams, Marlon Williams, Raynard Jeffrey and Hamza Eastman have been shortlisted to represent this country in Puerto Rico at the weekend, so their participation in this Sunday’s 80-mile race is not yet known.
Chronicle Sport has been told that sponsorship for the riders to Puerto Rico is an issue. It is not known at this stage, if Guyana will be able to field a full-strength team to the Caribbean Championships.
On Sunday, first-to-eighth places in the open category will receive prizes, first-to-fourth in the Junior division, first-to-third in the veterans Under- and Over-45 year classes, while the first- and second-placed Juveniles will be rewarded.
Kadir Mohamed was a sports enthusiast who passed away a few years ago. His daughter Bibi A. Mohamed and family have sought to honour his memory by organising the event. They hope it will develop the talent of the seasoned cyclists as well as attract new blood to the sport, particularly in the Bartica community.
The Kadir Mohamed Memorial 80-Mile cycle road race will serve as a warm-up for the eighth annual `Ride for Life’ five-stage cycle road race, which will be staged from October 16 to 19.