After covering 106 miles and outpedalling their rivals in the first two stages, Team Coco is destined to again ride away with the spoils of the annual ‘Ride For Life’ five-stage event.
Yesterday, Raynauth Jeffrey took the top honours in the initial stage then his club mate, Darren Matthews mirrored that achievement in the second to continue the Miami-based club’s dominance of the Tour of Guyana.
Jeffrey starts today’s third leg of the seventh annual event in pole position, after he sprinted to victory in the first stage and crossed the line in sixth in the second stage. Matthews is 37 seconds off the pace.
In the 46-mile first stage which pedalled off at Corriverton at 07:30hrs with 62 riders including wheelsmen from USA, Canada, Barbados and Colombia and ended at New Amsterdam, Jeffrey stopped the clock at one hour, 37 minutes and 32 seconds.
The national road race champion led Team United’s Orville Hinds (1:37:43), Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club’s Godfrey Pollydore (1:38:15) onto the podium while Roraima Bikers Club’s Alanzo Greaves (1:38:17), Matthews (1:38:18) and Continental’s Geron Williams (1:38:19) filled out the top six.
In the 60-mile sun-baked stage which rolled off at Rosignol at 14:00hrs and concluded at Carifesta Avenue, Matthews nosed ahead in a thrilling six-man sprint finish ahead of Williams, Pollydore, Greaves, Paul DeNobrega and Jeffrey.
The top six riders had a bunch time of two hours, 21 minutes and 24 seconds.
Blistering pace
The first stage started off at a blistering pace with several sets of riders staging unsuccessful break aways until Greaves, DeNobrega, Jeffrey, Hinds and Robin Persaud changed gears at Leeds and separated from the peloton.
These five riders would journey together until Jeffrey staged a solo attack at Port Mourant. He was however pursued and caught by Hinds and the duo pushed the pace and stretched the lead with every powerful turn of their pedals despite the valiant efforts of the chase peloton.
Jeffrey and Hinds worked in tandem until 200m from the finish until the stage winner attacked again and crossed the line ahead of Hinds.
The second stage also started at a scorching pace but this time it was Team Coco’s Junior Niles who took it to the field. However a pursuing Greaves, Paul Choo-Wee- Nam and John Charles connected and the four riders pedalled as a team until they were caught by the tireless Matthews at Belmont.
Led by Jeffrey, Williams, Scott Savoury, Pollydore and DeNobrega the chase pack which was barrelling down on the leaders caught them at Ann’s Grove.
At this point, Choo-Wee-Nam, Niles and Charles
suffered cramps but the six-strong top six staged a successful break away and never looked back.
Throughout the rest of the stage, the six riders especially Jeffrey and Williams engaged in several attacks and counter attacks but the event climaxed at the line where Matthews sped to victory.
The top 10 Overall riders after two stages are:
Raynauth Jeffrey 3hrs, 58 minutes 55 seconds
Darren Matthews (3:59:32)
Godfrey Pollydore (3:59:34)
Geron Williams (3:59:36)
Alanzo Greaves (3:59:36)
Paul DeNobrega (4:01:23)
Orville Hinds (4:01:41)
Junior Niles (4:01:55)
Akeem Arthur (4:02:20)
Raymond Newton (4:02:20)
Stage three, which covers 35 miles will start today at Wales and end at Parika. Tomorrow, the penultimate stage, over 62 miles, will begin at 07:30 hrs at Supenaam and conclude at Suddie.
On Sunday, the final stage will pedal off at 08:30 hrs with the cyclists riding from Linden and finishing in Georgetown in another 62-mile race.
The top 10 finishers will receive cash prizes and trophies.
The first three finishers will receive US$1,000 and a trophy, US$750 and a trophy and US$500 and a trophy respectively.
Team Coco’s Antonio Quintero won the event in 2010 while his club mate Jaime Ramirez was last year’s winner. Last year’ race was won by Dane, Michael Larsen.
