In recent years, Briton John has been methodologically dominant on the Guyanese cycling scene, and over the last week, took his excellent form overseas to the long, winding roadways of French Guiana, where he secured a historic second overall finish at the 33rd Tour Cycliste de Guiana in what was a frenetic week-long race across the French territory.
While John’s second place overall finish was a historic result for Guyana, it was also a momentous occasion for the event itself as the gap between the winner and John was just 9 seconds. That minute gap was one of the closest finishes in the history of the race.
The cyclist who represents United We Stand Cycle Club locally, has performed the significant feat of being the first Guyanese cyclist in 25 years to stand atop the final podium at the gruelling regional event. In a comment to Stabroek Sports, the Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) General Secretary Mark St. Claire noted “John’s exceptional performance is a testament to his dedication, skill, and determination”.
Meanwhile, another Guyanese, Cortis Dey also completed the entire race which was made up of 9 tough stages. In fact, the GCF singled out Dey for praise, saying that he provided “invaluable support to Briton John throughout the competition. His commitment and teamwork played a crucial role in this outstanding result. Unfortunately, the other members of Team Guyana were unable to complete the race due to various challenges, but their efforts and perseverance remain commendable”.
When the 8-member Guyanese team returns to local shores, the GCF intends to honour them with a formal reception. To this end, St. Claire explained; “The entire cycling community in Guyana joins the Guyana Cycling Federation in celebrating this historic achievement. To honour Briton John, Curtis Dey, and the team’s efforts, a simple reception will be held in recognition of their success and contribution to Guyanese cycling”.
He added: “This achievement represents a significant milestone for cycling in Guyana and serves as an inspiration for future generations of cyclists. The Guyana Cycling Federation is proud of the team’s performance and looks forward to building on this success in the years to come”.
The reception will be held at the GDF’s Officers Club in Camp Ayanganna on Friday, August 30 from 6 pm.
To put things into perspective, John’s accomplishment which also saw him winning a stage and maintaining a top three position throughout the 9 stages, was no easy feat as he faced stern competition against cyclists from Great Britain (Schils-Interbike RT Bike), Netherlands (Global Cycling Team), Switzerland (CLN Cycling Team), France (4 teams: UC Haguenau, Team Born’Heures Winch, VC Dolois and ASPTT Nancy), Martinique and Guadeloupe.
came in for special praise from the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF).
The Tour de Guiana was first staged in the 1950s and for the first decades it was open only to local cyclists and clubs. However, in the 1978 edition, it became a stage race open to international competitors, catering to both amateur and professional cyclists.
