The safe restart of competitive cycling and the return of the Independence Three-Stage Road Race were among the talking points when the top brass of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) met with Sports Minister, Charles Ramson Jr., recently.
This is according to Racing Secretary of the GCF, Malcolm Sonoram.
Sonoram told Stabroek Sport yesterday that he is tasked with preparing a proposal detailing how cycling can roll off once again in a safe manner for the riders and officials.
According to Sonoram, the proposal will then be presented to Ramson Jr., and the COVID-19 Task Force and once approval is granted “We should be able to put together a race in two to three weeks.”
Sonoram pointed out that Time Trial competitions will be the perfect platform to restart cycling on the local circuit since it will kick start the competitive juices of the riders while adhering to the COVID-19 restrictions which have begun to be relaxed.
Time trials are commonly referred to as the ‘race of truth’ as they require considerable mental concentration and toughness as well as the ability to tolerate intense physical discomfort.
However, cyclists compete individually and against only one competitor — the timing clock.
Sonoram then confirmed that the Independence Three-Stage race which was last staged in 2016, will return in May 2021 perhaps with another stage added to make it a four-stage event.
As the COVID-19 restrictions become more relaxed, the GCF Racing Secretary also revealed that he will be pushing to have as much races in the National Park “to keep the sport alive.”
Sonoram concluded by appealing to cyclists to continue to take every precaution before, during and after training as a means of keeping the novel virus at wheel’s length. To date, no local cyclists have tested positive for COVID-19. (Emmerson Campbell)
