Decked out in his Team Gillette Evolution’s black and white skin suit, Raul Leal rode brilliantly to win the 5th Annual Banks DIH’s sponsored 50-mile cycle road race under the company’s `Powerade brand, yesterday, over in the West Demerara area.Leal stopped the clock at one hour 55 minutes 10.83 seconds (1.55:10.83) to eclipse the 1.55.55 that his team mate Orville Hinds returned last year in winning the 4th edition of the annual event.
After the 35 starters in the various categories were sent on their way from outside the Wales Police Station, West Bank Demerara, Raphael Leung and Cravis Jeffrey attempted a break, but were easily sucked back into the pack.
As the pedal pushers made their way along the West Bank road way headed for Bushy Park East Bank Essequibo, the bunch started to split with the senior and junior riders separating themselves from the veterans, mountain bikers and ladies.
Approaching New Road, West Coast Demerara, a bunch of 15 moved away from the others and stuck together while interchanging the lead until they approached the end of New Road and it was at this point, Leal, Raphael Leung, Jamaul John and Paul DeNobrega seized the opportunity to separate themselves from the other ten.
No one from the group of 10 responded and this allowed the quartet to open a sizeable lead and maintained it to the turn back point (Bushy Park) and eventually to the home straights.
With approximately 250 metres from the finish line, Leal jumped the others and sprinted across the line, two lengths ahead of second place finisher John, while Leung and DeNobrega placed a close third and fourth respectively.
Shortly after, Andrew Hicks out-pedalled Shaquile Agard to take the fifth place. Agard was sixth.
John and DeNobrega won two of the eight prime prizes each, while Leal, Hinds, Leung and Hicks took one each.
For placing second overall, John took the first place prize in the junior category, while Leung and Hicks occupied the second and third spots respectively.
The veterans, mountain bikers and ladies did not ride to Bushy Park, instead, they turned back at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara and Jude Bentley won the veterans’ category in a time of 1.20:47.55. Second was Talim Shaw while Shameer Baksh placed third.
Ozia McAully who won the Mountain Bikers category last year, repeated that performance on Sunday. Keon Thomas and Julio Melville placed second and third respectively.
There were just two ladies that faced the starter and the more experienced Toshawnna Doris of Sophia romped home an easy winner ahead of Whitney Poyer of Corentyne, Berbice.
The oldest cyclist to complete the course was Walter `Buck Man’ Issacs who was rewarded for his efforts.
Prior to making the presentation of prizes to the respective winners, race organiser and national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed thanked the sponsors for their contribution and the participants who he said were all winners since without them, there would not have been a race.
Mohamed stated that each year, Banks DIH sponsors five events on his (Mohamed) racing calendar and he is grateful for that.
The presentation of prizes to the winners was done by the company’s marketing representative Elias Van Buckley.

By Michael DaSilva