The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) yesterday received funding from the Ministry of Sport for the staging of the Independence Three-Stage Road Race this weekend.
As promised, Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., made the presentation at his Main Street office to President of the GCF, Linden Dowridge. Legendary cycling events organizer, Hassan Mohamed, was also in attendance.
The undisclosed sum for the two-day, 171-mile fixture was dubbed ‘substantial’ by Dowridge who also thanked Director of the COVID-19 Task Force, Colonel, Nazrul Hussain for being cooperative.
After a four-year hiatus, the Independence Three-Stage road race returns to the capital city for the final sprint and award ceremony on Sunday.
The race, the longest tenured cycling event in Guyana, was last staged in 2016 with Orville Hinds soloing to back-to-back victories. Its hiatus was due to disagreements over funding involving the then National Sports Commission (NSC) and the former top brass of the federation.
The flagship event, which attracts the cream of the nation’s wheelsmen as well as foreigners, is set to pedal off on Saturday from 07:30hrs with a 46-mile (75.6km) dash from Corriverton to New Amsterdam.
Seven hours later, the second stage starts from Rosignol and will proceed to CARIFESTA Avenue, Georgetown for the finish. (60 Miles) (96.5km).
Among the lead contenders to clinch the 35th edition of the Independence Three-Stage Road Race are Jamual John, Brigton John, Curtis Dey, Christopher Griffith and Marcus Keiler.
For the grueling final stage, (65 Miles) (104.6km), the event starts the day after in Kara Kara, Linden from 07:30hrs and concludes at Homestretch Avenue in the capital city.
