By Emmerson Campbell
Robin Persaud’s dominance on the local cycling scene continues.
One week after powering to victory in the signature 35- lap event of the RRT sponsored programme, Persaud returned to the National Park yesterday and sprinted to victory to claim his 13th victory for the year.
Persaud, Guyana’s most consistent cyclist, took the top honours in the feature 35-lap event of the eighth annual Laparkan Holdings Limited 11- race programme in a time of one hour, 20 minutes and 55 seconds.
The National cyclist also copped two prime prizes.
Persaud, 37, led junior star riders Raul Leal and Raynauth Jeffrey into the top three.
National cyclists Alonzo Greaves, Paul DeNobrega and Enzo Matthews finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
The event, which attracted 23 riders, started off at a high pace with Persaud, Greaves, Jeffrey, DeNobrega, Matthews and Leal separating from the rest of the field from as early as lap two.
The top six cyclists would steadily increase their lead on the chase pelotons by working as a team.
By lap 15 however Persaud, Leal and Jeffrey broke away from Greaves, DeNobrega and Matthews and despite being spiritedly pursued, they were never caught.
Persaud, Leal and Jeffrey worked as a unit and were still together up until 200 metres from the finish.
At this point Leal rose from his saddle and started a fierce sprint to the line. The talented 15-year old however pursued and caught by Persaud who used his superior sprinting ability to blow past Leal and win comfortably at the line.
Earlier in the day Leal won the juniors and juveniles’ 10-lap race and the prime prize in a time of 26 minutes and two seconds ahead of Alonzo Ambrose and Andre Abdool.
Deeraj Gharbarran won the BMX boys’ 12-to-14 years, three-lap race ahead of Shamar Dass and Randy Ramlall respectively while Keon Harris took top honours in the BMX boys’ nine-to-12 years, two-lap race ahead of Britton John and Rashedi Ceres respectively.
Junior Niles rode off with the veteran’s under-50, five–lap, first place trophy and the prime prize in 11 minutes and 49 seconds beating Kennard Lovell and Shameer Baskh who were second and third respectively.
Cleveland King took top honours in the three-lap BMX boys Open race ahead of Adrian and Christopher Griffith.
In the 12-to-14-years, boys and girls’ three-lap race, Alfie Sonaram took home the winner’s trophy and the while Marica Dick (prime prize winner) and Naomi Singh occupied the next two spots.
In the five-lap veteran’s over-50 race, Lancelot Rose was first followed by Wilfred Thom and Dwayne Ramsey in that order.
Maurice Fagundes got the better of rivals Harry Lall and Krishandat Singh to take the top honours in the veteran’s over-60 years’ race.
The race for the upright cyclists was won by Jude Bentley while Keon Thomas and Nigel Jacobs placed second and third respectively. Thomas also rode off with the prime prize.
The two-lap BMX boy’s six-to-nine year’s race was won by Isaiah Sahadeo with Jeremiah Harrison pedaling in second while Isaiah’s brother Ken Sahadeo finished third.
At the prize giving ceremony, Mohamed thanked the representatives of Laparkan Holdings Limited for the sponsorship of the event and the cyclists for participating in the meet and making the programme a success.
Mohamed also intimated that next week’s programme will be sponsored by Hand in Hand Insurance Company.
