All set for start of biggest ever 5-Stage tomorrow in Berbice

Nov 04, 2009 Sports

Riders from USA, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname St. Maarten & Anguilla to test locals

By Franklin Wilson

The going will surely not be easy for any of the over 60 starters expected to face the line come tomorrow morning when the Third Annual Five-Stage cycle road race under the theme “Riding for Life 3” pedals off at Corriverton.

Defending champion Junior Niles will have his work cut out in defending his title in an event which has attracted riders from as far as the United States of America, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname along with Guyanese riders Dwayne ‘Road Hog’ Gibbs who is based in St. Maarten and the Anguilla based Godfrey Pollydore.

The local based riders have been hard at work on the Linden Soesdyke Highway and the East Coast Highway early in the mornings and afternoons as they seek to keep the title at home.

Apart from Niles, the locals would have a strong presence in the field with the likes of Warren ‘Forty’ Mc Kay, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams, Jude Bentley, Lear Nunes, Geron Williams, Christopher Holder, Tony Simon, bronze medalist at the just concluded 9th Elite Caribbean Road Race Championships, Alex Mendes, Chris Persaud, Ian Jackson, Kennard Lovell, Darren Allen, Raymond Newton, Jamal Nichols, Jaikarran Sukhai, Walter Grant-Stuart, Eric Sankar and Linden Blackman among others.

Headlining the veteran field is USA based Randolph Toussaint with the likes of Monty Parris and Aubrey Gravesande in contention for the top prize.

National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohamed in an invited comment said he was very pleased with the response of the riders so far and he is expecting a fierce and exiting event. He noted that with such a star studded field, calling a winner will be difficult but what he knows for sure is that all the stages will be keen.

Riders will leave the city today for the Ancient County after a pep talk from Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony at his Main & Quamina Streets office at 12:00hrs.

The five stages of the race and dates are as follows: Stage one (November 5) Corriverton to New Amsterdam; Stage two Rosignol from 14:30hrs to Carifesta Avenue.

Stage three (November 6)

Wales to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo pedaling off at 09:00hrs.

Stage four (November 7)

Supenaam to Charity and back to finish at Suddie pedaling off at 07:30hrs.

Stage five (November 8)

Linden to Georgetown (Homestretch Avenue) pedaling off at 08:00hrs.

The objectives of the race sponsored by the Ministry of Health is to increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among participants and the general public and to increase HIV/AIDS activism and volunteerism among the participants while inspiring them to become ambassadors in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS and related information and Education will be disseminated to spectators in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10. There will be three Public Outreaches at overnight locations with Television programmes in those areas. (Corriverton, Charity, Linden). NGOs and Peer Educators along the route and starting positions will engage members of the public with HIV/AIDS communication activities.