Bentley calls out leading local cyclists

Oct 21, 2009 Sports

– as he moves closer to official return

By Edison Jefford

The passion and enthusiasm in his voice told their own story, but what was more gripping was when former national cyclist, Jude Bentley dared Guyana’s best to step on the circuit with him as he moves closer to official reinstatement.

“I will move to a different level. We don’t have cyclist here. We have men that just ride a bicycle. When I start back riding, I guarantee that cycling will go to a next level,” he told Kaieteur Sport in an exclusive interview yesterday.

The visibly elated Bentley is set for re-introduction into the sport after three years in exile over a misdemeanour at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

His controversial and apparently perpetual ban sparked many debates among enthusiasts.

However, after many confrontations with the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Bentley received the positive news that he will be pardoned from his excesses after the Federation met recently to iron out the rumples on the matter.

The Federation had previously failed to forge an amicable agreement with the cyclist that would have handled the situation in a professional and cordial manner, but the recent and welcomed development is certainly a step forward.

Bentley told this newspaper during our brief interview that he was told that someone will be authorised to collect the $30,000 fine that was part of his escalated sentence. Initially, he was fined $20,000 and banned for a year.

However, after the year elapsed and Bentley made an attempt to pay his fine, he was told that a subsequent meeting would be held to decide when he would be allowed to compete in Guyana again, which was meted with abrasive refusal.

Bentley took back his money and that was the beginning of many upheavals between him and the GCF, which kept him out of the sport competitively for three years and increased the fine to $30,000 without constitutional support.

“If they tell me I have to pay I will pay,” he said, also referring to his 2009 license to ride in Guyana. He informed that although there are a lot of cyclists riding without licenses he will pay his fine and pay for his licence as necessities.

Asked if he has a point to prove on the circuit after his reinstatement, the former national cyclist said that he had lost his enthusiasm with all the run-ins with the GCF, but that will not prevent him from proving that he is still the best.

“Honestly, I was so stressed and fed-up with all that was going on, I lost my passion but I know after a few races, I should be fine again. I want people to know that they can expect real competition from me though,” Bentley boasted.

He said that his cycle cost over $1M and he has to represent the fact that cycling is costly and extremely difficult without funding. The decorated local rider could compete as early as Saturday at the Troy Humphrey Memorial Cycle Race.

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Bentley calls out leading local cyclists

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