… Minister Ramson presents cheque for this weekend’s historic championships

THE stage is set and permission has been granted by the COVID-19 Task Force to host the 2021 Independence Three-Stage Championships – one of Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) most important events. The race will be used by the federation, along with the National Championships scheduled for later this month, to shortlist a team for the Caribbean Cycling Championships in July. This week the Government of Guyana, through the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport officially handed over funds to host the three-stage event. Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, presented the sponsorship cheque to president of GCF, Linden Dowridge, and renowned cycling organiser Hassan Mohamed. Racing Secretary of the GCF, Malcolm Sonaram told Chronicle Sport, “The sponsorship of the Independence 3-Stage Road Race through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport by Hon.

Minister Charles Ramson Jr is well received by the cycling community, as one of our prestigious events has regained recognition and hopefully can grow to international status again.” This will be the first time that cyclists will compete in the race, since 2016.
The event began in 1983, under the guidance of Mohamed, and ran until 2016, before it was cancelled in 2017.
Earlier this month, information from GCF indicated that the race was cancelled four years ago, because the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) and traditional sponsors, the National Sports Commission (NSC) did not find common ground on the funding of the three-decade-old fixture.

RACE PROGRAMME
The first stage will pedal off in Berbice from 07:30hrs outside the Corriverton Police Station and end at Main and Alexander streets in New Amsterdam.
The second stage of the race will also be contested on Saturday, May 15. It is scheduled to start at 14:00hrs at Rosignol Stelling and end on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown. The final stage is billed for Sunday, May 16. Cyclists will race from Linden (07:30hrs start) to just outside of the National Sports Commission, Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown.