THE 2016 Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) road race champion Geron Williams on Sunday registered a comprehensive victory when the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club (LBFCC) staged its 5th annual 60-mile cycle road race around the bauxite community as well as on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.Williams returned a time of two hours 25 minutes .05 seconds in staving off a strong challenge from GCF’s 2015 road race champion Hamza Eastman who had to settle for second.
The event which attracted Guyana’s top wheelsmen saw Paul DeNobrega, Shaquelle Agard, Orville Hinds and Jamal John occupy the third to sixth places which had as first prize $50 000. The other top finishers also received cash prizes and trophies.
The junior category was won by Andrew Hicks of Berbice. He recorded two hours 30 minutes 37 seconds to finish ahead of 2016 junior road race champion Andrew Cornelius and Jernel Yearwood respectively.
Ronaldo Narine was the lone juvenile cyclist to finish the race, while in the ladies’ category, Byonka Baker was first and Olesha placed second.
Warren McKay won the veterans’ category in a time of 49 minutes .05 seconds. Second was Ian `Dumb Boy’ Jackson, while Jaikarran Sukhai placed third.
The top three LBFCC cyclists to finish the event were also rewarded for their efforts and they are Agard, Yearwood and Silvio Inniss.
From the start of the race in front of Baker’s residence, the top six finishers in the open category broke away from the other starters after completing over one lap of the 20-mile circuit and were never challenged.
After leaving the Baker’s residence, the cyclists rode around the mining town then exited onto the Linden Highway and journeyed to Bamia Hill on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and turned back at Moblissa Hill. This went on three times before Williams,, Guyana’s only professional cyclist racing for Team Foundation in the United States, out-sprinted Eastman to the line to record his second victory within seven days.
The Baker family has committed to sponsoring the event annually in memory of their father Joseph and mother Adelaide Baker.