Eon D’Ornellas still has undying love for cycling

By Frederick Halley
AFTER four failed attempts to compete at the Summer Olympic Games, former Canadian-based Guyanese cyclist Eon D’Ornellas is still an extremely disappointed individual but his undying love for the sport hasn’t waned.While his competitive days in riding may be over, D’Ornellas has been the proud owner of the ever-popular D’Ornellas Bike Shop, situated in Scarborough, Ontario and also plays a dominant role in D’Ornellas Cycling Club (DCC), comprising of over 200 members, including men, women and children.
In an exclusive and rare interview with the Sunday Chronicle, the now 64-year-old D’Ornellas spoke of his disappointments and his achievements over the years, being selected for four Olympic Games, two for his native Guyana and twice for his adopted country but for varying reasons didn’t compete in any.
After migrating to Canada in 1972, D’Ornellas was selected to represent Guyana at the Munich, West Germany Olympic Games, which was overshadowed by the famous Munich massacre that saw 11 Israeli athletes and coaches and a German police officer being killed. However, according to D’Ornellas, the late Barry Massay, who served as manager, failed to register his name although he was officially selected, thus ending his desire to participate.
Undaunted by this setback, D’Ornellas was again selected in the 1976 Guyana contingent for the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada since he wasn’t eligible to represent Canada due to not attaining his citizenship as of yet. He was already in the Olympic Village when news was relayed that Guyana had decided to join in solidarity with several African nations to boycott the Games when the International Olympic Committee would not support, as had other international sporting organizations, the banning from competition of those countries whose athletes had participated in sporting events in South Africa as long as apartheid continued.
Unto 1980, and now in the prime of his career, after successful campaigns in Europe and overwhelming performances in the Canadian Olympic trials, D’Ornellas was duly included in the North American country’s team. Then came what was most notable for the largest boycott of an Olympics in history. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, the United States and 61 other countries, including Canada, decided to boycott the Olympics.
Still determined to mark his name in Olympics history, D’Ornellas was leaving no stone unturned to ensure he was properly prepared for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, including rigorous training in the mountains of Colorado despite having some hiccups with the city’s altitude. According to the outspoken cyclist, he was already registered to participate in the road race when the coach, who wasn’t present at the gruelling practice sessions, decided to replace him with another cyclist who wasn’t as qualified to ride in that category. He still believes that the decision was done out of spite and what bothered him most, he hadn’t recourse to the national body. This forced him to call it quits as far as riding for the Canadian national team was concerned.
D’Ornellas however had a chance to prove to the coach that his decision to omit him from the team was unjustified when he rode against several of the cyclists who had participated at the Olympics, defeating them handsomely in both the road race and criterium at Canadian national championships shortly after.
Still irked by his omission, D’Ornellas disclosed that he made his feelings known to the coach in no uncertain manner, pointing out to him, “you know what, you have done this to my life and my life will go on, I’m the Canadian champion now and what you’ve coached today is garbage.” That however was his last hurrah as he decided to join the professional ranks.
The never-say-die cyclist was still bent on extending his career but suffered a terrible crash while preparing for the US Professional championships and despite being sidelined for three months was determined to compete and duly did.
Back home, D’Ornellas was all but set to call it quits in 1988 and rode in his last meeting at the Queen’s Park Circle, Toronto where he won the sprint event and lapped the entire field, which included riders from Italy and Germany, in the criterium to end his career on a resounding note and subsequently opened his bike shop.
Barring these obstacles, D’Ornellas’ persistence saw him being crowned four-time Ontario Provincial Road Racing Champion, a two-time Canadian National Road Racing Champion, 1979 Pan American Games Silver Medalist, 1978 Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist and what he described as his most prestigious achievement, his incredible win over the world’s best amateur neo-pro bicycle riders at the gruelling 120 miles road race at Vim Ridge in France.
D’Ornellas also rates his winning of the Canadian national championship on two occasions as testimony to his dedication to the sport since he was the first cyclist to ever won two Canadian championships back-to-back in Canada – the road race over 220 kilometres and the 80-kilometre criterium.
Prior to migrating, D’Ornellas recalled riding as a teenager with the likes of Neville Hunte, Dennis “Dark Horse” Medford, Victor Rutherford and Brian Camacho but said his speciality always centred around road races and as early as 16-17 was a member of the Guyana National teams that participated in Guyana and around the Caribbean.
Always up for a challenge, D’Ornellas remembered being called upon to ride against seasoned campaigners in the “blue ribbon” event at a big meeting at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground shortly after lapping the entire field in the B Class and despite that, finished fourth with Hunte being victorious.
According to D’Ornellas, he had to readjust his techniques on entering Canada in 1972 and this includes pedalling since he had become to using “fixed wheels” in Guyana.
Speaking specifically about his club, D’Ornellas, who resides in Florida during the Winter months but still manages his business from that location, disclosed that most of the members like himself just ride to keep fit while they go on tours to several European countries on an annual basis. He also assists in coaching while sharing his vast knowledge to the members.
While his business commitments do not allow him to share that knowledge in Guyana, D’Ornellas said he is willing to sponsor an annual event to include overseas riders and will be making efforts to fulfil that commitment.
Born in Alberttown where he resided with his parents and six brothers and sisters, D’Ornellas earned the nickname “Taggo” from his more senior counterparts who were always irritated to see the youngster compete with the best that the country had to offer.