The ‘Ride for Life’ five-stage bicycle road race which is set to pedal off next Thursday is expected to be the “biggest ever”, according to Director of Sports Neil Kumar.
“We expect the biggest turnout for sure this year,” Kumar emphasized while speaking to Stabroek Sport via telephone yesterday.
The classic race, which has been staged annually for the past four years traversing different communities along Guyana’s coastland, aims to sharpen awareness of HIV and AIDS.
The event is being organized by national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Cycling Federation.
According to Kumar, a number of cyclists from North America and the Caribbean along with local cyclists are expected to ride in this year’s event. Kumar noted that cyclists are expected from the United States, Canada, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Anguilla, Antigua and a few other countries.
Emphasizing on the magnitude of this year’s ‘Ride for Life’ event, Kumar noted that 66 riders took to the starting line last year but over 70 cyclists will start the race this year and the winner will cart of a $200,000 first prize.
Further, Kumar stated that a lot of HIV and AIDS awareness work was done in areas such as Georgetown and Berbice, so the organizers are expecting a huge turnout of spectators from these regions.
“It’s going to be full of excitement… this is the biggest race in Guyana,” said Kumar. Local cyclist Geron Williams who recently returned from the Commonwealth Games is the race meet’s defending champion and has the fastest time in the event’s history, after winning last year’s race in a record time of 10 hours, 30 minutes and 51 seconds (10:30:51), beating 2008 champion Junior Niles’ 10 hours, 38 minutes and 13 seconds (10:38:13) and 2007 winner Alonzo Greaves’ 11 hours, four minutes and 28 seconds (11:04:28).
Speaking to Stabroek Sport yesterday, Williams stated that he will deliver his best come race day.
“I will do my best and hope for a good result,” Williams assured. According to Kumar, Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy will be dropping the flag for the start of the 226 miles race, which will begin on the Skeldon Public Road at 7 am on November 4. The race will proceed to New Amsterdam in the first stage, then the cyclists will begin the second stage of the race in the afternoon at the Rosignol Stelling and finish in Georgetown, ending day one of the race.
The third stage the following day will see the riders starting at Wales and finishing at Parika, and then the race will take to the streets of Supenaam on November 6 for the start of the fourth stage which will culminate at Suddie. The fifth and final stage will be from Linden to Georgetown on Sunday, November 7. This will be followed by the presentation ceremony at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, which will be graced by Minister Ramsammy and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.
