Cycling fans eager to see the improvement of the four Team Coco’s riders who returned from Colombia on Tuesday after a month-long high altitude training stint will only have to wait one more day.
According to president of the club, Jerome Allicock, Junior Sportsman of the Year, Paul DeNobrega and fellow national riders Raynauth Jeffrey, Raul Leal and Christopher Holder will be competing in the 31st annual Independence three-stage road race which pedals off tomorrow.
“They will be competing and most definitely our objective is for one of our riders to win this year’s three-stage”, Allicock told this publication yesterday.
“Personally we have our own goal which is to raise the level of riding in Guyana so hopefully their level has improved from where it was before they went to Colombia”.
“We definitely feel that we have improved”, said DeNobrega. But we will know for sure this weekend when we compete”.
Despite being optimistic about one of the riders taking top honours in the gruelling event, Allicock cautioned that the 30-day training in the high altitude country would not significantly improve their performances.
“We don’t want to jump out there thinking that we will be spectacular just after 30 days but at least we are hoping they will be a bit better than how they were before leaving Guyana especially Holder”.
So what is the game plan for a Team Coco victory this weekend?
“We do have a plan who we want to win, of course we can’t disclose that but we purposely want a specific rider or two to be in the front line as every team would plan but we will be working together for every member of the team to be supportive and competitive”, said Allicock.
The club’s president also hopes that clean, sportsmanlike riding prevails because Team Coco’s riders have been targeted by other cyclists since the club was officially formed in January.
Top veteran, Junior Niles and Barbadian, Brandon Wilke will also be donning Team Coco’s uniform.
The three-stage race, which will cover a distance of 171.5 miles (274.3km), is expected to attract the crème de la crème of local riders from all the clubs in Guyana as well as overseas riders who will use the event as a warm-up for other races abroad.
The first stage will commence at 7:30hrs at the Corriverton Police Station and will finish at New Amsterdam. (46.6 Miles) (75km).
The second stage starts the same day at 14:00hrs from Rosignol and will proceed to Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown for the finish (60.4 Miles) (97.1km).
The final stage of the event will start on Sunday at 08:00hrs in Kara Kara, Linden and will conclude at Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown (64.5 Miles) (103.3km).
Cyclists were required to register with their respective clubs or team managers for submission not later than tomorrow during normal working hours at the National Sports Commission Office, 91 Middle Street, South Cummingsburg.
Transportation will leave the National Sports Commission Office today at 12:00hrs with cyclists and officials for Springlands, East Berbice.
