Team Coco’s Carlos Ospina continues to hold on to the leader’s jersey after placing second to club mate Raynauth Jeffrey in the third stage yesterday at West Demerara.
The Cuban rider, who won the initial stage on Thursday morning, will start the penultimate leg of the race today in Essequibo with the yellow jersey and an eight-second overall gap on Raul Leal (Team Gillette Evolution) after preserving his lead following yesterday’s third stage.
Ospina was tied for the lead with Matthews heading into the 35-mile stage (Wales to Parika) but the latter placed eighth yesterday.
Leal was a close third.
Hamzah Eastman (Cocos), Alanzo Greaves (Roraima), Marloe Rodman (Heatwave), Michael Anthony (Gillette Evolution). Marlon Williams (Gillette Evolution) and Mark Harris (Coco’s) rounded out the top 10 yesterday.
Jeffrey, who sits outside of the top 10, won yesterday’s stage in a scorching 57 minutes and 13 seconds.
With two stages left, Ospina is the front runner to take the top honours.
He was part of the initial five-man unit that broke away from the peloton at Stanleytown. Along with Jeffrey, Greaves, Leal and Eastman, Ospina helped to pedal to create separation from the chasers. The five strong wheelsmen journeyed together all the way up to Den Amstel. Unfortunately at this point, Greaves, who was just three seconds off the lead prior to the start of the stage, suffered a puncture and lost valuable time on the clock. As Greaves changed his wheel, the rest of his break away mates turned up the throttle and were able to stave off the wave of cyclists behind. Team Coco’s then finished one-two and fourth with only Leal, third, preventing a podium sweep yesterday.
The first bunch then rode in more than a minute after the top four with Greaves winning that sprint. Here is how the top 10 riders overall are positioned before the start of the 62 miles fourth stage which pedals off at Supenaam and concludes at Suddie. Race time is 07:30hrs. (Emmerson Campbell)
The top three Overall heading into today’s penultimate stage reads:
1st- Carlos Ospina (Coco’s), 2nd – Raul Leal (Gillette Evolution) and Hamzah Eastman (Coco’s).
