-Williams takes final stage as Holder regains junior title
Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams out sprinted Gavin Nero to take the final stage but Junior Niles won the senior and Christopher Holder the junior title when the curtain came down on the Ministry of Health (MOH)/ Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS)/Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) organized ‘Riding for Life 2’ event yesterday.
Competing in the final stage from Kara Kara Linden to Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown, Williams outsprinted his Trinidadian opponent to take the stage in a time of 2:38:11s while Niles and Holder finished in the first peloton a further 2:58 seconds behind.
It was the perfect finish for Niles, who celebrated his 35th birthday on the morning of the first stage which pedalled off from Corriverton to New Amsterdam and was won by Robin Persaud who completed the 46.6-mile event in 1:49:10s.
Fifty-two (52) cyclists faced the starter for the first event, but three days later only 28 were under the starters order for the final stage and when they were sent on their way, home boy and 2008 senior road race champion John Charles made a move to the front.
But such an act was short lived, as he was caught by the peloton three minutes after and as they approached the Millie’s Hide Out, Charles along with Geron Williams and stage four winner Colin Wilson suffered a spill and even though they were back up on their machines, Williams, for reasons unknown had to call it a day.
Defending champion Alonzo Greaves displayed all indications that he intended to erase the deficit of 2:19 seconds Niles had over him going into the final stage, when he went to front to join Williams and they were soon joined by Adam Alexander and Persaud.
The trio worked in tandem at the front, building a lead of 800 metres over the peloton, which was divided into two and increasing it as they passed through the villages on the Linden/Soesdyke highway.
As they approached Silver Hill, the peloton which included Niles, Holder, Warren Mc Kay, Christopher Persaud, Anguilla’s Kris Pradel and his countryman Claude Richardson along with Tyrone Hamilton, Philbert Alexander, Ian Jackson and Tony Simon, were all trying desperately to reconnect with the front runners, but to no avail.
So hot was the pace in front that Alexander found it difficult to keep up to and as they passed through the village of Loo Creek, he was left behind by the bunch of hungry cyclists.
In the sprint for the finish line Williams displayed to his junior opponent (who is also Trinidad and Tobago’s junior road race champion) who the senior man was, when he outsprinted him to the finish line from 60 metres out to claim his second stage win having won the third stage earlier.
Alexander, Mc Kay and Pradel occupied the third to fifth positions respectively 2: 43 second after the leaders, whilst Niles, Robin and Christopher Persaud, Holder, Philander, Ian Jackson, Kennard Lovell and Greaves finished together a further 15 second behind Alexander and company.
By virtue of not being able to continue the final stage Geron Williams surrendered the sixth position overall to his name sake Marlon Williams while Greaves could only take 10 seconds off of the lead of 2:19 seconds Niles had over him which was not enough to guarantee him retaining his title.
Holder, on the other hand, managed to defend his.
Greaves occupied the second position, whilst, Simon, Holder, Jackson, Williams, Pradel, Hamilton, Richardson and Mc Kay occupied the third to 10th positions respectively. Niles also won the veterans’ U50 category from Jackson and Lovell respectively whilst Aubrey Springer won the veterans’ O50 category from Walter Isaacs and Aubrey Gravesande respectively.
Over G$4m was expended on this year’s event including the cash prizes with Niles pocketing $225, 000 for his first place finishes in the Open and veterans’ categories.
Holder pocketed $95,000 for his first place finish in the juniors and fourth place in the seniors respectively.
Greaves collected $150,000, for being the runner-up while Simon took home $100,000.
Other prize winners included Jackson ($75,000) and Fishy’ Williams ($50,000). Pradel, Hamilton, Richardson and Mc Kay each carted off $40,000, $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 respectively for rounding off the top 10.
The presentation was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall after the cyclists were given a rest. Speeches were made by Drs. Frank Anthony (Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports) and Bheri Ramsarran (Minister of Health) respectively.
President of the GCF Hector Edwards, national cycling coach Hassan Mohammed and Permanent Secretary of the MCYS Keith Booker also made brief remarks.
