Team Evolution’s Orville Hinds will start today’s final stage of the National Sports Commission (NSC) 33rd Annual Independence Three Stage Cycle road race as leader after placing fifth in the first stage and second in stage two.The annual event which has been coordinated by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed for the past 32 years, got underway from outside the Corriverton Police Station, Berbice at 8:30hrs with cyclists Alonzo Ambrose, Eon`Dumb Boy’ Jackson, Akeem Arthur and Stephen Fernandes establishing a break.
Hinds, Marlon `Fishy’ Williams, Raul Leaul, Akeem Wilkinson and Paul DeNobrega were hot in pursuit but never managed to connect to the leaders.
At the end of the 46.6 miles first stage which concluded at Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam, Ambrose prevailed, returning a time of one hour, 41 minutes 24 seconds.
Jackson was second Arthur third and Fernandes fourth.
Hinds placed fifth and Michael Anthony sixth.
Marlon Williams, Leal, Wilkinson and Paul DeNobrega placed seventh to tenth respectively.
The event which attracted 51 starters saw only 43 of that number facing the starter at the Corriverton Police Station and it was not until the bunch reached in the vicinity of the Alicie Rice Company that Geron Williams, Leal, Ambrose, Jackson and Arthur broke from the pack but was caught shortly after.
After then, there were several attempts by cyclists to make a break but those attempts were foiled.
In the end, Ambrose came out on top and in the process won two prime prizes. Robin Persaud, Andrew Hicks, Jamal John and Geron Williams all won one prime prize each.
Stage two which wheeled off from Rosignol Stelling, West Coast Berbice at 14:30hrs and concluded at Carifesta Avenue, a distance of 60.4 miles, was won by Team Evolution’s Michael Anthony in a time of two hours 18 minutes 51 seconds.
The second and third place positions were occupied by Anthony’s team mates Hinds and Leal respectively. Geron Williams finished a distant fourth after suffering a mechanical problem during the stage and lost valuable time.
After two stages, Hinds has registered four hours 00 minutes 35 seconds, Anthony is a mere one second adrift, while Leal is five seconds behind.
Geron Williams has just over four minutes to erase if he is to win the event, while Ambrose and Jackson has one and two minutes respectively.

(By Michael DaSilva )