… top riders vie for honours in three-stage event; tomorrow is closing date for cyclists’ registration

LOCAL cycling fans and enthusiasts are assured of two days of exciting cycling when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) stages its three-stage event beginning on Saturday at 0:730hrs from Carifesta Avenue.Cyclists and clubs interested in being a part of the activity are asked to note that registration for the event closes tomorrow and interested persons/clubs can get registered by contacting Hassan Mohamed at the National Sports Commission office, Homestretch Avenue during working hours.
After wheeling off from Carifesta Avenue on Saturday morning, the cream of the country’s cyclists will pedal to Mahaicony before returning to the place of origin for the finish.
Stage two will be held the same day (Saturday) and will see Guyana’s top wheelsmen contesting an individual time trial starting at 14:00hrs from Carifesta Avenue and proceeding to Plaisance before returning to Carifesta Avenue for the finish.
On Sunday, cycling fans and supporters will have their appetites whetted as the pedal-pushers will be engaged in what is expected to be a scorcher as they contest a 30-lap event around the outer circuit of the National Park beginning at 09:00hrs.
This 30-lap race will involve juniors, veterans and senior cyclists and it is anticipated that over 45 cyclists will face the starter.
It is expected that supporters of individual cyclists and teams will turn out in their numbers from as far as Linden and Berbice to lend support to the cyclist of their choice.This was the case last Sunday when supporters of teams and individual cyclists flocked outside the Guyana Defence Forces’ Camp Ayanganna Headquarters for the DIGICEL sponsored Breast Cancer Awareness 30-lap Cycle Road Race which was won by Team Coco’s Jamal John.
Already, the word around is that John will dominate on Sunday since most of Team Coco’s members have peaked late this season and will be able to lend support to John and the team’s other top riders which includes Raynauth `Obeah Man’ Jeffrey.
John won last Sunday’s 30-lap race in convincing fashion after breaking away with Team Evolution’s Raul Leal from the start of the race and out-sprinting the Team Evolution cyclists in the final 150 metres to the finish line.
It was a truly grueling event last Sunday with the heat taking its toll on a number of top riders who showed signs of fatigue half way into the race with some eventually dropping out.
Those cyclists will relish the seven days recuperation period leading up to Sunday’s activity and should be race-ready come Sunday to give their supporters their money’s worth.