BARBADIAN Phillip Clarke took home the top honours at the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) 40th Independence Three-Stage Cycling Road Race on Sunday.
Clarke, riding for a Trinidad club, accumulated 35 points to edge Guyana’s Romello Crawford and Curtis Dey, who tied for 34 points.

Robin Persaud (27 points), Alexander Leung (17 points), Emmanuel Gayral (11 points) and Jorryn Simpson (11 points) rounded off the top positions.

The overall winner got G$150,000, second G$110,000, third G$80,000, fourth G$60,000, fifth G$50,000 and sixth G$35,000.

Persaud won the final stage, 65 miles, from Linden to Homestretch Avenue, in a time of two hours, 50 minutes and 11 seconds (2:50.11s), and also copped the top prize for the veterans (40-45).
Leung was the top junior while Sidwell Sandy did it for the Juveniles and Cliveica Spencer retained her title.

Ian Jackson was the top veteran (over 45).

In the earlier stages, Crawford, who rode without a team, won the opening leg in one hour, 48 minutes, and 27 seconds (1:48.27s).

The 40-mile race was from Corriverton to New Amsterdam.

Team Evolution’s Dey got second, Gayral from Antigua and Barbuda got third, and Clarke, fourth.

For the juniors, the talented Leung got the top spot followed by Aaron Newton and Jair Norton, while Sandy and Torell Noel were the top two Juveniles.

Likewise, Spencer and Tandeia Noel were the top two ladies.

In the veterans category (40-45), Kwame Ridely (first), Persaud (second), and Alex Mendes (third) were the top three, while in the veterans (45 and over): Clarke (first), Paul Choowenam (second), Ian Jackson (third)

The second stage, from the Berbice Bridge to Carifesta Avenue, and only the seniors and veterans were required to do the entire course, as the juveniles and women started at the halfway tree.
Following the veteran rider, Clarke, at the line was Dey and Simpson of Suriname and Crawford in fourth.