Cuban cyclist Antonio Quintero is the overall leader of the annual ‘Ride For Life’ cycle road race after the first two stages of the event ended on Carifesta Avenue yesterday afternoon.
Quintero, who trains in Miami with Team Coco’s, was well supported by his four Miami-based teammates as he went on to win the first stage of the race, which began on the Skeldon Public Road at 7:00 am and ended in New Amsterdam.
The Cuban cyclist won the first leg with a time of one hour, 38 minutes and 39 seconds, ahead of second place finisher Eric Sankar and Marlon Williams who placed third.
Junior cyclist Neil Reece finished fourth while Tony Simon and Walter Grant-Stewart crossed the finish line fifth and sixth respectively at the end of the first stage.
The cyclists later took to the West Berbice roadway for the second stage of the race, which began at Rosignol yesterday afternoon.
Leading the field across the second stage finishing line yesterday was Godfrey Pollydore with a time of two hours, 24 minutes and two seconds.
He was trailed by Warren McKay in second place and Alonzo Greaves in third position, while Gerard Yates, Raymond Newton and Geron Williams were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Although he didn’t place in the top six at the end of the second stage, Quintero’s
performance in stage one was sufficient to give him the lead heading into the third stage of the race, by a margin of over two minutes.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport through his interpreter and coach following stage two yesterday, Quintero said that he was very pleased with the result he obtained from his performance yesterday.
Quintero said that with the help of his team he will try to be in the lead at the end of the other stages and to maintain that lead until the end of the five-stage race.
The race continues today with the third stage which will see the riders starting at Wales and finishing at Parika. The race will take to the streets of Supenaam tomorrow 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.
