Over 40 of Guyana’s best cyclists across all age groups will pedal off from Corriverton today as the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) Independence 3-Stage cycling road race gets underway.
Known as the premier event on the cycling calendar in Guyana, this year the event has attracted cyclists from neighbouring Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
While there was an initial controversy surrounding the first leg of the event here in Berbice, in which the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) had plans of changing the opening stage which usually rides off from Corriverton to New Amsterdam, it was sorted out following a meeting between the GCF President, Horace Burrowes and Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle.
The cyclists will ride across three grueling stages from today and ending tomorrow. The first two stages will take the riders from Corriverton to New Amsterdam from 7 this morning before the second leg from the Western side of the Berbice Bridge to Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown from 2 pm.
The cyclists will then have tonight to recover before heading to Linden, pedaling off from that town for Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown for the finish.
In total, the cyclists will ride a whopping 167 miles. The cyclists will compete in the Elite Category, Masters 45+, Juniors, Ladies, Juveniles and Category 4-5 classes respectively.
While the top prize for the Elite Category is $160,000, second through sixth places will ride off with $120000, $100000, $80000, $60000 and $50000 respectively.
The top Masters 45+ cyclist will pocket $50,000 while the Juniors and Ladies winners will receive $60,000 and $40,000 each. The Category 4-5 and Juveniles winners will also cash out $50,000 and $40,000 respectively.
Cyclists will also have the chance to cash in on 25 sprint points worth $2,500 each throughout the three stages.
Eyes will be on Guyana’s top cyclists Briton John but he will have to stave off competition from the Trinidadians and Guyanese teams (KFC Evolution and Kaieteur Attack) if he is to take home the lion’s share of the prizes.
Last year’s winner of the Elite class was Barbadian cyclist Phillip Clarke who represented a Trinidadian club, he edged out the Guyanese duo of Romello Crawford and Curtis Dey who were tied on points for second place. Guyana’s top cyclists along with riders from Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago will be in heated battle on the roadways of Berbice and Demerara today as the first two stages of the NSC Independence 3-Stage Cycling Road Race gets underway.
