By Michaelangelo Jacobus
On Sunday, for the first time since the 2024 cycling season got underway, there was a new winner on the roadways not named Briton John as KFC Evolution cyclist Christopher ‘Chicken Legs’ Griffith took first place in the second Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Points Road Race.
While the first road race under the GCF’s new initiative saw the cyclists riding from Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown to Umbrella Creek Resort on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and back a few Sundays ago, this time around, the cyclists took to the roadways of West Demerara and East Bank Essequibo.
The race saw the cyclists pedal off from Canal #2, West Bank Demerara, head down to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo and return to the finish line at Schoonord, West Bank Demerara.
the only female cyclist to participate.
Griffith who has been consistently finishing in the top four of Category 1-3 cyclists since the turn of the year, found his rhythm to break away from the peloton on the return trip from Bushy Park. He finished strongly and rode unchallenged across the finish line to seal a well-deserved victory while Paul De Nobrega, unattached to any club, came in behind to cop second. Alex Mendes, a seasoned veteran also rolled back the years to finish third while Kwame Ridley, Segub Hubbard, Aaron Newton, Robin Persaud and Jamaul John all engaged in a mid-pack battle to the finish, ending in positions fourth through eighth in that exact order. Meanwhile, Roy Mangru ruled the roost in the Category 4-5 race finishing top of the podium while Dave Bissoon and Tyron Conway came in second and third respectively. Mark St. Claire and Oliver Reed crossed the finish line after, to round out the top five places in that order.
Meanwhile Simone Sandy was the only female cyclist while Alex Newton was the sole Juvenile rider, both earning maximum points unchallenged.
Junior category with yet another win.
The Veterans over-50 also had one participant, Mark Spencer. Alexander Leung continued his fine form in the Junior category, beating Sidwell Sandy to the finish line in that race. The Points Race system is being employed by the GCF as a way of helping to keep their cyclists active while providing much needed competitive minutes in a bid to keep cyclists in top condition for the upcoming NSC Three-Stage road race and National Cycling Championships, in May and June respectively. While cyclists do not receive prize money in the points format, they receive points for placing in the top 10 which are then tallied at the end of the year where there will be a prize giving ceremony held by the GCF to honour top performers.
The Points races will continue next weekend, but in the National Park, around the inner circuit from 7:30 am on Saturday.
