Concerted and corrective approaches are necessary if local athletes should achieve prestigious accolades

May 15, 2012 Sports

By Michael Benjamin

Thirty odd years after the successful staging of the inaugural Three Stage Cycle Road Race under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, and after enjoying minimal successes, Guyanese riders are now hard pressed to dominate the activity and recent results of this annual event have uncovered several inconsistencies that should be addressed if only to improve the chances of local pedal pushers and retain even a modicum of respectability to the sport.
This year’s activities pedaled off at Corriverton and the first leg culminated at New Amsterdam where Frank Traveiso, representing Team Coco’s of Miami, rode off with the honours. Hours later, the cyclists journeyed from the Ancient County to the old Guyana National Service Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue where another Team Coco’s representative, Frank Travieso prevailed. The final leg from the Mining Town of Linden to Georgetown was a replica of the inaugural leg where Travieso captured the honours and subsequently was adjudged overall winner even posting a new time record.
At the prize giving ceremony at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), shortly after the culmination of the event, Minister Anthony complimented the victorious riders of Team Coco’s but lamented the absence of a strategic approach by local riders. Indeed, the general consensus of cycling pundits was that the local riders, instead of combining forces to outwit their rivals, elected to carry individual fights even as members of the winning team joined forces to out-muscle and eventually out-smart their nemesis.
It is always advisable to separate politics from sports as this is often dubbed a combustible mix. However, it seems as though, judging from what transpired during the course of the just concluded race, that sports activities could now be juxtaposed with our political landscape where the cooperative spirit has been shelved even as individual players attempt to hog the glory. One needs not conduct a forensic study to conclude that our cyclists erred in their strategies. By now they should realize the counter-productiveness of their approach even as they are forced to admit that their strategy was selfish to say the least.
Further, shortly after the culmination of the event, some pundits complained of the absence of an ambulance to accompany the riders as they engaged in grueling competition. The general complaint seems to suggest that this service should have been made readily available even as one considered the cyclists’ risks to life and limb along the arduous route. As a matter of fact, we were reliably informed that some cyclists were involved in two spills during the first leg while veteran cyclist, Jude Bentley, crashed out following a similar incident minutes into the second leg.
While incidents of this nature are unavoidable and to some extent expected, what is unacceptable is the absence of an ambulance with the requisite medical practitioners to deal with such eventualities. The affected riders complained that while a vehicle was identified for medical purposes during the first leg of the race, this was not done for the other two legs. The cyclists also feel that the identified medical vehicle was not properly equipped to deal with injuries incurred by the racers.
While giving a summary of activities, Minister Anthony berated the media for not documenting the race over its 30 years existence and besieged them to commence the process. Well if after 30 years our cyclists cannot get it right nor can the organizers, why should we be alarmed if media practitioners are affected by such apathy? Mr. Anthony did point out that an imminent 5 stage cycle race will give local pedal pushers an opportunity to reorganize their strategies to produce the desired results. The just concluded event, coupled with the Minister’s observations should rightfully serve as a gentle caveat to media practitioners to retain, for posterity, the details of such national events.
Likewise, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports should aspire to inculcate the relevant and necessary principles that will transform the Three Stage Cycle Road Race and others of similar ilk into the national events they are supposed to be. Then, and only then, must anyone point an accusing finger at another for their shortcomings.

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Concerted and corrective approaches are necessary if local athletes should achieve prestigious accolades

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