Team Coco’s once again defied the odds and finished first and second in yesterday’s R&R International sponsored 40-mile road race.
It was deja vu as Hamza Eastman took the spoils ahead of his club mate, Jamaul John in a thrilling six-man sprint finish.
Eastman stopped the clock at one hour, 31 minutes and 36 seconds for the 26th annual fixture which started outside the Ocean View Hotel, proceeded to Mahaica and returned to the starting point for the finish.
The dominance of the duo, who also finished one-two in the Courts Mashramani 40-mile road race in Berbice on Thursday, was underlined by them equally sharing all six of the sprint prizes on offer.
Michael Anthony joined Eastman and John on the podium while Geron Williams, Shaquel Agard and Alonzo Ambrose filled out the top six rewarding positions.
The first six along with WS United standout, Andrew Hicks separated from the rest of the 39 starters from the smoke of the pistol.
Pacing at a high gear, the seven strong wheelsmen were able to create and maintain separation from the chasing pelotons. However on the downward journey, seven became six as Hicks suffered mechanical problems in the vicinity of UG Road.
Soon after, with the finish line fast approaching, team work was discarded and a series of attacks followed as the cyclists battled for supremacy.
In the end, however, it was the men clad in crisp neon green who had enough left in their tanks to occupy the top spots. Team Coco’s will look to add more hardware to their collection when the cycling season continues today with the second and third legs of the Burnham Memorial Three-Stage road race.
In the morning, stage two starts in Linden at 7:30hrs and finishes on Homestretch Avenue, while the finale commences on Homestretch Avenue at 14:00hrs, proceeds to Belfield and returns to the point of origin for the conclusion. Hicks is the virtual leader after winning the initial stage. Eastman lurks in third. (Emmerson Campbell)
