Last year’s most successful cyclist, Robin Persaud, powered to his second win of the season by outsprinting this year’s most outstanding cyclist, Alonzo Greaves to claim the second annual Powerade 50-mile road race at West Demerara yesterday.
Persaud, 38, winner of 15 races last year, stopped the clock at one hour, 56 minutes and eight seconds,
Persaud led fellow national cyclist, the in-form Greaves, winner of seven races this season and a resurgent Albert Philander into the top three positions of the race which commenced at Wales Police Station, proceeded to Bushy Park and ended at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
Andrew Reece placed fourth while Eric Sankar and Raymond Newton rounded out the top six.
Along with copping the senior winner’s trophy, Persaud also copped a sprint prize as did Reece and Sankar. Five sprint prizes went to Jude Bentley.
Ralph Williams, Kennard Lovell and Talim Shaw were the top three veterans while Mario King, Alonzo Ambrose and Andre Abdool rode in first, second and third in the junior category. Keon Thomas, Richard Charles and Ray Raul were the top three upright finishers in that order.
The event saw 40 riders including female Naomi Singh facing the starter’s pistol.
The race, which was highly competitive, saw the riders bunched together for most of the event with the lead interchanging periodically.
There were several mini breaks with different riders the first of which Bentley, Persaud, Greaves, Reece, Newton, Abdool, Akeem Wilkinson and Philander broke away from Plantain Walk and enjoyed a lead until they were caught at Ruby by a chase peloton led by Junior Niles.
After that several other riders staged mini breakaways but were caught soon after and the riders were bunched up again and journeyed all the way together until about 200 metres from the finish.
At this point with victory in sight, a fierce sprint ensued but Persaud blessed with superior sprinting prowess, powered across the finish line, edging Greaves for the top spot.
Mohamed, the national cycling coach, thanked the cyclists for making the event a successful one and stated that another Powerade event will pedal off on May11 in the National Park.
That will serve as a warm up before the annual three-stage race is stage commencing from May 18.
