THE country’s top racing cyclists will have a busy weekend beginning today with the Ricks and Sari-sponsored 22nd Annual 11-race cycle programme in the National Park and the 3rd annual Benjamin Sports Store cycle event set for Sunday in Berbice.

The 11-race programme set for the National Park will wheel-off at 09:00hrs and will see the nation’s top cyclists in action in the feature 35-lap event for schoolboys, novices and invitational riders that was won by Marlon `Fishy’ Williams last year in a time of one hour 17 minutes 09.60 seconds.
Williams, who will be representing the new club in Guyana’s cycling circle, Team Evolution, will be out to find a place on the podium, as will his other team member Orville Hinds.
There are other cyclists who have been recruited by the club but might not be on show tomorrow, due to being out of the country on other commitments.
Stephen Fernandes, who is instrumental in the formation of the club, told Chronicle Sport that Raynauth Jeffrey is currently in the United States competing in cycle races there, while he himself will be out of Guyana for one week on business commitments.
Other races on today’s card include five-lap events for veterans under and over 50 years of age, as well as a 10-lap race for juveniles and two- and three-lap races for BMX riders 6-9, 9-12 and 12-14 years of age.
There will also be a five-lap race for mountain bikers.
Williams will use today’s event as a warm-up for tomorrow’s Flying Ace-organised 50-mile road race along the Corentyne Coast as well as for next Sunday’s 40-mile race which is billed for the West Demerara area.
The 50-mile road race set for tomorrow is being sponsored by overseas-based Guyanese Wilbert Benjamin, a former national junior and senior cyclist and is being organised by Randolph Roberts of the Flying Ace Cycle Club. It is open to cyclists from across the country.
Benjamin who resides in Canada is a former member of the Flying Ace Cycle Club.
The event will commence at 09:30hrs from in front of Benjamin’s Sports Cycle Store, Fyrish, Corentyne and proceed to Number 51 Village, before finishing at the place of origin.
Veteran riders along with females and novices will turn back at Nand Persaud and Company Limited building and finish at the same place of origin.
Prizes will be awarded to the top six finishers in the Open category, as well as the top three finishers in the junior and female categories.
Eight prime prizes will also be on offer.