… Eastman is defending champion

THE cream of Guyana’s cyclists will take to the outer circuit of the National Park tomorrow to do battle for bragging rights when the Guyana Cycle Federation (GCF) stages its National Road Race championship, beginning at 11:00hrs.Defending champion Hamza Eastman will have his legs and hands `full’ to make a successful defence of his title which he won last year in a time of three hours 40 minutes 37.67 seconds.
However, last year’s championship was held along the East Coast of Demerara corridor and was wind-assisted, while tomorrow’s race will be partly wind-assisted. It will definitely be more gruelling than last year’s and this will surely suit United States-based Guyanese Scott Savory, who recently became the first Guyanese to win the Tour of Sommerville event in the United States.
Savory has so far won eight races for the 2016 season and will be seeking to win the GCF’s mega event tomorrow.
Savory apart, there are other Guyanese campaigning in the U.S. and are already back in Guyana, not only eager to be a part of tomorrow’s event, but also hungry to win the bragging rights to represent Guyana at Regional and International meets over the next year.
Among those cyclists that have returned for the event are; Stephano Husbands, Raynauth `Obeahman’ Jeffrey, Jamal John, Geron Williams and Christopher Holder.
Alanzo who is facing a ban after being confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Association for using banned substances before and during the course of the Annual five-stage `Ride for Life’ race last year had placed second while Geron Williams finished third.
In 2014, Williams had won the 100-mile road race from Georgetown up the Linden Highway and back to Georgetown in a time of four hours 25 minutes .02 seconds.
Apart from the above-mentioned names, the likes of Team Evolution’s Orville Hinds, Marlon `Fishy’ Williams, Raul Leal and Akeem Wilkinson, as well as Team Alanis’ Paul DeNobrega add flavour to Sunday’s event.
Hinds has won seven roads races for the 2016 season and with his team firmly behind him will surely be one to watch come race day (Michael DaSilva)