TEAM Evolution’s cyclists dominated the podium places in yesterday’s Banks DIH-sponsored cycle road race organised by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed and staged on the West Coast of Demerara.Team Evolution’s Orville Hinds won the approximately 35-mile race in a time of one hour 21 minutes 22 seconds. Hinds’s teammates Akeem Wilkinson and Marlon “Fishy” Williams placed second and third respectively.
Another Team Evolution cyclist, Stephen Fernandes, placed sixth and by virtue of this feat, he was adjudged winner of the veterans’ under-50 category.
In the open category, Bauxall Flyers’ Shaquel Agard was fourth and Team Alanis Christopher Griffith placed fifth.
Of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs, Wilkinson won five, Williams two and Junior Niles one.
Jude Bentley was the second veteran to cross the finish line, while Raymond Newton was third.
The junior category was won by Deoraj Garbarran, Christopher Cornelius was second and Raphael Leung third.
In the mountain bike category, Keon Thomas was first, Julio Melville second and Wayne Nurse third.
After being sent off from outside the Wales Police Station, the 39 starters stayed together for the first five miles, but Williams, who only returned from the United States just over a week ago, jumped the pack and went out by himself.
Wilkinson, Fernandes, Agard, Griffith and Franze Jeffrey then decided to pursue Williams and connected to him shortly after, while Hinds led the main chasing pack.
On turning back at the back of the Parfait Harmony road, Wilkinson held the lead, but Hinds jumped the main chasing pack and connected to Williams and the others, then went on to make connection to Wilkinson; together, the two Team Evolution cyclists interchanged the lead and opened a small lead all the way to the finish.
With approximately 300 metres remaining to the finish, Hinds and Wilkinson stepped up the pace, but Hinds was too strong for Wilkinson and he won by a length from Wilkinson.