THE ‘Tour of Guyana’ Five-Stage cycle road race has attracted international attention with several foreign riders already expressing their interest to be a part of the event, which wheels off on Thursday with the first stage starting outside the Corriverton Police Station and ending at Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam.Already, several cyclists from Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua are Colombia are in the country trying to get acclimatised to the current hot conditions that is prevailing throughout the country.
This year’s event, which is being organised by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed, will be the ninth edition of the race which was previously known as `The Ride For Life’. The five-stage event is expected to be very competitive with the locals, many of whom come from the Team Coco’s club and include a number of foreign cyclists making up their numbers.
Apart from Team Coco’s, there is Team Gillette Evolution which comprises five locally based riders and Team United that includes several United States-based riders.
Continental Cycle Club has a solo representative in Geron Williams, a star in the making, but, with no help from team members, it will definitely be difficult for him to play a prominent role in the proceedings yet he is expected to give a good account of himself.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) and Education Ministry’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport are the key organisers and it is understood that they have been the recipients of sponsorship from the Tourism Ministry as well as beverage giant Banks DIH Limited.
Brand Manager of the Rainforest Brand, Errol Nelson, disclosed that “this is part of Banks DIH’s corporate social responsibility to support and aid in the development of sports in Guyana, and our sponsorship of this cycle road race demonstrates our steadfast commitment to the development of cycling in Guyana”.
The race, which will be a total of 266 miles, will commence outside the Corriverton Police Station, Corentyne, Berbice at 07:30hrs and conclude at Main and Alexander Streets in New Amsterdam.
On the same day, the second stage will start at 14:00hrs from the Rosignol Ferry Stelling and end at Carifesta Avenue.
The next day, the third stage will begin at 09:00hrs outside the Wales Police Station and finish at Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo.
Stage four will be on October 31 and will commence at 07:30h from Supenaam, Essequibo Coast, before proceeding to Charity and returning to Suddie for the finish.
The final stage begins at 08:30hrs at Kara Kara, Linden Highway, and will conclude on Homestretch Avenue.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones indicated that this year the event would be different as greater emphasis would be placed on taking care of the riders, in terms of making sure they have proper accommodation and meals are provided.
Jones stated that the race would be in keeping with the focus of sports tourism as it would be visiting six of the 10 regions in Guyana. The winner will pocket $1.2M.