Feature event abandoned after one lap as cyclists protest

SEVERAL cyclists and enthusiasts alike, led by a very vocal Robin Persaud, forced the 17th Annual Troy Humphrey Memorial Cycling programme organised by Roraima Bikers Club (RBC) to come to a halt after one lap of the feature event  around the inner circuit of the National Park yesterday.The protest came about, following RBC’s decision not to allow former club member and defending champion Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams to compete due to disciplinary club matters, with Persaud calling out to George Humphrey, Managing Director of Humphrey’s Farm and Bakery Products to intervene.

Unknowingly to Persaud, Humphrey, the father of the late Troy Humphrey, a former cyclist, was already briefed of the situation to which he gave  full cooperation to the race organiser and president of RBC Brian Allen, standing by his decision.

As Allen tried his valiant best to start the feature event which was scheduled for a distance of 30 miles, with 10 prime prizes up for grabs, while Marlon Williams himself on behalf of another cycling enthusiast had submitted finance for 30 other prime prizes making it a prime every lap, only Alanzo Greaves, Warren ‘40’ McKay and Junior Niles moved off from the line to compete.

Several other cyclists including Persaud, Raynauth ‘Obeah Man’ Jeffrey, Paul Choo-Wee-Nam, Hamza Eastman and Geron Williams, stood in solidarity with Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams at the line and even openly agreed to block the path of the trio who had moved off to compete, forcing the race to be called off after one lap.

With that in mind, the event was called off and the prize money that was up for grabs, was distributed evenly between Niles, McKay and Greaves.

Prior to such, the day’s eight card programme got underway with Rainelle Crawford claiming the Juvenile five laps race from Andrew Hicks and Christopher Griffith, followed by Niles winning the Veteran’s Under-50 five laps event from Jaikarran Sukhai and Wilburg Benjamin.

Linden Blackman took the Veteran’s Over-50 five laps event from Virgil Jones and Lancelot Rose, before the Win and Out eight laps race was won by Geron Williams, who was followed by Eastman and Jeffrey, even as Hosea McAulay rode off with the Mountain bike category from brothers Keon and Seon Budhan.

Toshawna Doris proved her superiority over newcomer Ronella Samuels in the ladies five laps which was contested same time with the Mountain Bike race, even as Jeremiah Harrison did not let age and size undermine him as he took the BMX one lap event away from Ryan Goberdhan and Alex Leung.

The Category Four race which covered a distance of 20 laps, was won by Michael Anthony away from Mark Harris and Mario King while Raul Leal who won one of four primes, with two going to Anthony and one to Harris, was disqualified for unsportsmanlike riding for the fourth placed position which was given to Andre Greene.

As the riders played a cat and mouse game just after the high bridge behind the first three finishers, Leal started the sprint for home to which many felt was too early and wondered if he could hold his advantage as Greene was coming hard to stage an upset on the inside.

However, Leal, whether knowingly or unknowingly steered his bike into the left hand side of the track blocking an advancing Greene who was handed no choice but to make his way off the track and curtail his sprint for an upset win in the process and amidst several protests from Leal, the fourth place was handed to the Berbician.

However, the protest by some of the riders in sweltering heat prior to the start of the feature event marred what was an exceptionally great day for cycle racing, with several other enthusiasts who were not in favour of the decision taken by the cyclists, calling for severe penalties to be handed out, while it was great to see the Team Coco’s cyclists battling with their other competitors for supremacy in the races.

In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, an RBC member who chose to remain anonymous said their club had received no correspondence from the Guyana Cycling Federation saying Team Coco’s cyclists were not permitted to compete, hence they had no problem with the riders doing so.

“We did not have any problem with Team Coco’s and the Federation never wrote us saying their cyclists will not be permitted to compete on the local scene, so once they come to the line and register to compete, we will allow them that privilege.”

(By Calvin Roberts)