Dey draws `first blood’ as 2018 cycling season starts

CURTIS Dey took `First Blood’ yesterday when the 2018 cycling season commenced with the 25th Annual Ricks and Sari Agro Industries-sponsored 11-race programme around the inner circuit of the National Park.

Dey, riding tactically, stayed with the chasing bunch after Briton John and Paul DeNobrega broke from the pack after eight intense laps of racing, opening a more that 600-metre lead on the peloton.
However, after 22 laps were completed, DeNobrega developed a problem with his back wheel and had to change his cycle and this left John struggling to keep up the pace as he had no one to help him.

Eventually, John was `balled’ in by the peloton with nine laps remaining in the 35-lap race. Two laps later, DeNobrega surged to the head of affairs and led for one lap before Deoraj Garbarran took over and led for two laps and was then joined by Akeem Wilkinson and together the duo held on to the lead until the final lap when both Garbarran and Wilkinson were `balled’ in by the main chasing pack.

With approximately 125 metres to the finish line, Romello Crawford started the sprint but was pursued by Dey who, on rounding the turn to the finish, joined Crawford and in the end he (Dey) prevailed and won by half a length from Crawford.
Orville Hinds, Junior Niles, Kemuel Moses and Andre Green occupied the other four places respectively.

Of the eight prime prizes that were on offer, Hinds, DeNobrega and Griffith won two each, while Andrew Hicks and Briton John took one each.
In other results from the day’s programme, John Niles won the BMX Boys’ 9-12 years old three-lap race ahead of Mark Lewis and Jahme Henry in that order.

The BMX Boys’ 12-14 years three-lap event was won by Jonathan Ramsuchit. Second was Brian DeNobrega, while Steve Simpson placed third.
Junior Niles was the winner of the veterans’ Under-50 five-lap race. Second was Wilbert Benjamin while Jaikarran Sookhai placed third.

Kennard Lovell won the veterans’ Over-50 five-lap race ahead of Gary Benjamin and Linden Blackman respectively, while John was unstoppable in the Juveniles’ 10-lap race. He won ahead of Adelie Hodge and Ralph Seenarine respectively.

Shane Bourne was the winner of the five-lap race for Mountain Bikers. Second was Ozia McAullay.