Team United’s Orville Hinds brought the curtain down of the ‘Ride for Life’ five-stage road race with a victory but Team Coco’s Raynauth Jeffrey took the overall spoils of the seventh annual event which concluded yesterday on Homestretch Avenue.
Jeffrey, the senior national road race and time trial champion, completed the gruelling four-day 266-mile Tour of Guyana in 10 hours, five minutes and 33 seconds.
Besides the coveted champion’s trophy the 20-year-old who won the initial and the penultimate stages also carted off five sprint prizes.
“I feel so proud,” Jeffrey told the media yesterday.
“Since the beginning of this year I was planning for this race, I’ve always wanted to win it and I am happy I did.”
He added “I thank my team, I appreciate their support and I look forward to a great season next year.”
This season’s most successful cyclist, Roraima Bikers Club standout, Alanzo Greaves (10:06:25) and Jeffrey’s club mate, Barbadian, Darren Matthews (10:06:50) who won the second stage, completed the podium.
The top three riders pocketed US $1000 and a trophy, US $750 and a trophy and US $500 and a trophy respectively.
Geron Williams (10:07:06), Godfrey Pollydore (10:07:08), Hinds (10:08:25), Paul DeNobrega (10:08:56), third stage winner Robin Persaud (10:09:34), last year’s overall champion, Jaime Ramirez (10:09:42) and Hamzah Eastman (10:09:56) were the other skillful wheelsmen in the top 10.
Hinds, last year’s senior road race champion, won the final stage from Linden to Georgetown after a bunch sprint, but all the focus was on Jeffrey who had a 54-second lead on Greaves heading into the finale.
In the final stage which was won in two hours, 37 minutes and 58 seconds, the Team United ace rider who attacked the rest of the 37 starters at Hadfield Street and Mandela Avenue, led Matthews, Williams, DeNobrega, Greaves and Eastman into the top six.
At the closing ceremony at the National Cultural Centre, the top 10 overall finishers, the top three juniors and veterans received trophies and other prizes.
Eastman, Shaquel Agard and Michael Anthony were the juniors while Raymond Newton, Junior Niles and Ralph Williams occupied the top three spots in the veterans’ category.
Team United, lone female starter, Naomi Singh and Kravitz Jeffrey also received special prizes.
Brief congratulatory remarks were also made by president of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Cheryl Thompson, Director of Sport, Neil Kumar and Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.
Dr. Anthony promised continuity of the annual event which he hopes to see more stakeholders playing a more active role.
Notes: Ramirez’s last year’s overall time of nine hours, 46 minutes and 51 seconds is still the leading time.
There were 73 registrants and 37 finishers for the event which started in Berbice and had legs in the city, West Demerara, Essequibo and Linden.
The Ride for Life, Tour of Guyana five stage cycle race is a collaborative effort of the Ministries of Health and Sport and the GCF.
