12th Annual Macedo Memorial 70-mile Road Race...Michael Anthony canters to victory in senior and junior categories

12th Annual Macedo Memorial 70-mile Road Race…Michael Anthony canters to victory in senior and junior categories

Sep 22, 2014 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
Junior Caribbean selectee Michael Anthony was again displaying pristine form yesterday when he rode to a commanding win in the 12th annual Victor Madeco memorial 70-mile cycle road race, which started in the city, proceeded to Long Creek on the Linden Soesdyke Highway before returning to the starting line for the finish.

Michael Anthony (right) crosses the finish line on Homestretch Avenue ahead of Hamza Eastman yesterday. (Franklin Wilson photo)

The Linden based cyclist outsprinted Elite Caribbean Championships selectee Hamza Eastman to win the event in Three Hours 14 Minutes 19 Seconds on a sunny Sunday morning. Paul De Nobrega, who was on a three man break with the duo, had to settle for the third place.
Closing out the top eight positions overall were Robin Persaud, Alanzo Ambrose (Junior Caribbean selectee), Kravitz Jeffrey, Jamal John and Albert Philander in that order.
Ambrose, Jeffrey and John took the second to fourth place in the junior category to Anthony, who also won two of the 12 primes that were up for grabs among the senior riders. Eastman and De Nobrega also collected two each as did Raynauth Jeffrey and Marlon Williams. Persaud and Stephano Husbands had one each.
Another Junior Caribbean selectee, Raphael Leung, won the Juvenile category which saw the riders turning back at Splashmin’s, Linden Soesdyke Highway. Leung stopped the clock at Two Hours 20 Minutes 06 Seconds; Romello Crawford and Jaleel Jackson placed second and third.
Ian ‘Deaf Boy’ Jackson, father of Jaleel, won the veteran category ahead of Everal Mundy and Junior Niles, his winning time was Two Hours 19 Minutes 40 Seconds.
Keon Thomas in a time of Two Hours 25 Minutes 02 Seconds, topped the field in the mountain bike category, Julio Melville and Deeraj Garbarran followed in that order.
Yesterday’s event was organised by the Flying Stars Cycle Club and sponsored by the Macedo family. Guyana Cycling Federation President (GCF) Ms. Cheryl Thompson was on hand to share brief remarks at the presentation ceremony.
While complimenting the junior riders and organisers for a well ran event, Ms. Thompson took the senior riders who have been selected for the Elite Caribbean championships to task, venting her disappointment at their continued lack of commitment at being much more competitive.
The President said that that GCF would like to see an immediate change in the modus operandi of the senior riders who should be setting a better example for the juniors and showing more regards for the committed fans of the sport, who come out at all events to see competitive riding and not what is becoming a trend of the leading riders, arguing and watching each other rather than ride, become more strategic in outmaneuvering each other.
Three of the four riders selected for the Elite Caribbean Championships set for Puerto Rico next month were seen smiling and gaffing as they approached the finish line yesterday, not bothered at all about getting in some much needed competitive time ahead of an important event.