– Overseas-based Guyanese has slim two-second lead over Niles after two stages of Independence cycle road race
By Calvin Roberts
Overseas based Guyanese Godfrey Pollydore has taken a slim two (2) seconds lead over Junior Niles after two of three stages in the 26th Annual Independence cycle road race sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and organized by national cycling coach Hassan Mohammed were completed yesterday.
Riding in overcast conditions, Pollydore, who placed fifth in the first stage, rode a brilliant race to place second in the second stage from Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue behind Gordon Kennedy who won in 2:38:28.
With the absence of defending champion, Guy Costa, along with the poor showing of six-time champion Dwayne Gibbs, (troubled by an upset stomach) Pollydore’s overall time is 4:21:45 after he clocked 2:38:39 for the second stage, the same as Niles who two seconds behind him overall.
After being sent on their way by Region Five chairman Harrinarine Baldeo, Junior Niles and Virgil Jones surged to the front and kept a 50-metre lead before being wheeled in by the peloton which included Gibbs, Pollydore, Warren Mc Kay, Robin Persaud and Alonzo Greaves and as they approached D’Edward Village in West Berbice.
Mc Kay, Niles and Tyrone Hamilton then made their move to the front and increased the lead from 100 metres to close to 1500 meters all the way to the village of Onverwagt.
A second pack which included Andrew Persaud, Linden Blackman and Kennard Lovell, who took their National Park rivalry onto the road, broke from the peloton just after passing the Weldaad Police station and had the front runners who were 450 metres in front of them in their sight.
Niles who had picked up a second sprint prize, then broke away from pack and held a slim 50-metre lead before he was wheeled in.
Persaud, Blackman and Niles then made a move to the front and gradually increased a lead that was 100 metres to close to 3000 metres over the others.
The peloton was divided into two with the second pack consisting of Kennedy, Darren Allen, who suffered a broken saddle bolt during the first stage and started the second stage with a six-minute penalty and Albert Philander.
Some resurgent riding from 15-year-old national junior road race champion Christopher Holder, who, along with Pollydore and company connected with the front five as they passed through the village of Fairfield.
At Melanie, Kennedy made a dash to the front. His lead was short-lived however, as Allen led a pack that included the four finishers behind Kennedy and they connected at Strathspey.
But with 800 metres to go to the finish, Kennedy made another move which caught his competitors by surprise and he eventually rode home a comfortable winner in a time of 2:38:28.
Pollydore, Reece, Allen and Niles all finished in a group time of 2:38:39.
Earlier in the day, Charles with a time of 1:43:59 outsprinted Greaves to claim the first stage which pedalled off from the Corriverton Police Station and proceeded to New Amsterdam for the finish.
When the cyclists, 54 in total including Gibbs and another former champion in Pollydore were sent on their way in sunny conditions by Mayor of Corriverton Roy Baijnauth, Warren Mc Kay and Marlon Williams took a 100-metre lead over their opponents which they increased with each passing minute.
Williams took the first sprint prize in the process, but as the duo approached the Number 49 Village, the peloton connected with them 25 minutes into the race.
Robin Persaud, Junior Niles, Chris Holder, Linden Blackman and Kennard Lovell senior then made their move and broke away from the peloton as they approached the village of Tain despite the clouds opening and sending down some brief showers.
They maintained their lead and a distance of 800 metres until they were caught in the town of Rose Hall by a chasing pack that included Mc Kay, Pollydore, Williams, John Charles, Alonzo Greaves and Geron Williams.
There were no lead changes as the pack worked in tandem.
But, as they approached the finish line, Charles, Greaves, Niles, Holder and Pollydore made a move which caught their opponents by surprise and in a mad dash for the finish line, Charles was able to stave off the surge by Greaves for the finish line to take the stage in a time of 1:43:12:59.
Niles occupied the third spot but not before having to out sprint Holder and Pollydore to the finish line.
With a slim two seconds lead over Niles and a further 1:42 over Robin Persaud, Pollydore will have his work cut out for him when he starts the third and final stage from Kara Kara on the Linden Highway to Homestretch Avenue this morning from 8.30am.
Gibbs, on the other hand, will be hoping that Lady Luck will smile on him as he has a deficit of 7:13 to clear if he intends to win his seventh title. Holder is well placed to retain his Junior Road Race title ahead of his fiercest competitor Geron Williams, whom he leads by three seconds.
However the tide turns, a keenly contested race can be anticipated and the riders will be hoping for some good weather which would bring out the spectators as they pass through the East Bank villages this morning.
