Warren `Forty’ Mc Kay dominated the field to take the ninth annual Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) 50-mile cycle road race last Sunday.
Mc Kay completed the event which started at the Wales Police Station, proceeded to Bushy Park, Parika and returned to finish at the starting point, in a time of 1:59:31s.
Defending champion Alonzo Greaves found the going rough throughout the race and failed to finish in the top six.
He was the last rider to cross the finish line and displayed unsportsmanlike behaviour by riding straight to the Demerara Harbour Bridge and leaving.
Mc Kay had competed in the Ministry of Health (MOH)/Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) organized National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) sponsored ‘Riding for Life 2’ five-stage cycle road race held earlier this month and placed 10th.
But on Sunday he displayed stamina and determination in overpowering Darren Allen, Walter Grant-Stewart, Eon Jackson, Raymond Newton and Robin Persaud all of whom ended in the top six.
After being sent on their way by DMW’s Marketing Assistant Alex Crawford in pouring rain, a pack which included Mc Kay, Allen, Newton, Greaves, Persaud, Grant-Stewart, Jackson, Alex Mendez, Geron Williams and Andrew Persaud made their way to the front before they were caught by the peloton.
Allen and Persaud then broke away but the peloton caught up with them just before the turn back point.
Mc Kay then made a solo break-away attempt but spirited efforts from Allen and company ensured it was short-lived.
They were together for approximately 10 minutes before a small pack with Newton, Grant-Stewart and Christopher Persaud connected, but with none of the front runners displaying any intentions to up the pace, Robin Persaud, Greaves, Philander, Williams and Jackson were able to reconnect.
But Mc Kay who took the final prime just before the Vreed-en-Hoop turn sneaked away as a cat and mouse game was becoming evident in the peloton. He took the opportunity to open his lead and even a determined and tactical move from Allen, who is known as one of the better sprinters to the line, was not good enough to stop him.
Both Grant-Stewart, who has one hand, and Jackson, two differently-abled cyclists, were engaged in a hectic surge to catch Allen but they settled for third and fourth place respectively while Newton and Robin Persaud took the other two spots to complete the top six.
Geron Williams won the junior category from Christopher Persaud and Enzo Matthews while Kennard Lovell, Virgil Jones and D. Ramnarine occupied the top three positions in the veteran’s division. Dexter Wilson and Sean Frank were the two upright cyclists to finish the race in that order.
All the top finishers were presented with their prizes by Crawford who was ably assisted by three of his junior staff members amidst the early morning showers.