Allegations of unfair tactics and the inability of the organizers to give the official time and the leaders marked yesterday’s third annual tour of Guyana five-stage race.
However, race officials announced Geron Williams as the overall leader after the first two stages yesterday with Jamaican Marleo Rodman occupying the second position.
Rodman had the distinction of winning yesterday’s first stage from Corrivertown to New Amsterdam a distance he covered in one hour, 40 minutes and 21 seconds.
Williams placed second three seconds behind Rodman while Simon Clarke of Barbados was third.
Raymond Newton, Tony Simon and Eric Sankar rounded out the top six finishers.
The second stage from Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue was won by Robin Persaud, who clocked two hours, 23 minutes and 13 seconds. Alonzo Greaves was second one second behind the winner with Dwayne `Road Hog’ Gibbs third, 2:24:08 and Rodman fourth 2; 24:33.
Some 66 cyclists started the event.
In the first stage, several of the big name riders, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, Jude Bentley, Greaves, Gibbs, Warren ‘40’ McKay and Godfrey Pollydore finished in a big bunch after Rodman and Williams.
After a few hours rest, the cyclists headed to Rosignol for the commencement of the second stage.
As national cycling coach Hassan Mohammed shouted “Go!”to signal the start of the second stage, last year’s over all winner Junior Niles shot out with Usain Bolt-type speed and opened up a sizeable lead which he held for quite some distance.
He was later joined by Leer Nunes, Chris Persaud and Glen Campbell and that bunch carried the pace of the race.
But, by the time they reached Fort Wellington, it was Niles who was joined by eventual stage winner Persaud.
At Litchfield, Christopher Holder and McKay broke away from the chasing pack to team up with Niles and Greaves.
The pace of the race was certainly lifted as the riders began to ride as a team, working the positions on the road well to keep their distance from the chasing bunch.
But, Mc Kay probably suffering from fatigue dropped back into the ‘bunch of death’ along with Niles leaving Persaud and Greaves to carry the rest of the race from Mahaica.
All along, Greaves, the winner of the inaugural event in 2007, seemed a bit exhausted as he had to work really hard to catch-up with Persaud.
Coming to the finish on Carifesta Avenue where a huge crowd, that included Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony and other government officials awaited the cyclists, Greaves and Persaud sprinted to the finish line with Persaud prevailing.
While race officials announced Williams as the over-all leader going into today’s third stage, an official time was not given as it was still being calculated, race officials disclosed.
They, however gave the assurance that at the very least, the top two riders would be Williams and his Jamaican foe, Rodman.
Meanwhile, overseas-based former national champion Randy Toussaint told Stabroek Sports that he saw a few riders logging behind a truck.
Toussaint said he was asked by the group if he wanted to join but denied as that was an illegal act.
According to Toussaint, after the event he approached national cycling coach and organizer of the event, Hassan Mohammad.
But Toussaint recounted that Mohammed shot down his accusation by stating that he did not contribute anything to cycling locally.
When contacted Mohammad told this newspaper that Toussaint’s claims were untrue since he and other officials were aback the chasing pack of the race.
Today’s third stage rides off from Wales and proceeds to Bushy Park, Parika for the finish.
The fourth stage is from Supenaam to Charity and back to Suddie for the finish.
