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GCF/NSC Three Stage Race…Agard is Overall Champ; Greaves pips Eastman in exciting 3rd stage finale
By Franklin Wilson
Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club’s Shaquille Agard pedaled his way to overall victory in the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), National Sports Commission (NSC) sponsored 3-stage road race which concluded yesterday with a 20-lap contest around the outer circuit of the National Park.
The organizers agreed prior to the start of the final stage to reduce the amount of laps from 30 to 20; a total of 24 riders in all the categories faced starter’s orders on an afternoon that was cool compared to recent days that were very humid.
Alanzo Greaves (right) wins the 3rd stage by the slimmest of margins from Hamza Eastman in a tantalizing finish. (Franklin Wilson photo)
Agard, who won Saturday’s Time Trials after finishing 3rd in the first stage, did enough to hold off his rivals to win overall in a time of 4 Hours 40 Minutes 25 Seconds. Second was Team Evolution’s Michael Anthony (4:40.38) followed by Geron Williams (4:40.52), Alanzo Greaves (4:41.30), Hamza Eastman (4:41.32) and Differently Able rider Walter Grant-Stuart (4:42.37) closing out the top six overall finishers.
Reigning Junior National Road Race champion Christopher Cornelius (Team Evolution) took the junior top prize in 4:43.07 ahead of Andrew Hicks (4:43.38) and Raphael Leung (4:44.43).
Emerging as the top veteran was Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton in 4:43.33 with Paul Choo-Wee-Nam claiming the second place in 4:45.23. Third was Junior Niles (4:49.23).
The riders were sent on their way yesterday for the final stage by Director of Sport Christopher Jones who wished them a safe ride. Greaves, who said he has been training six months into his 12-month ban which ended on November 1st, made his intentions clear from the first lap as he jumped out front along with Silvio Inniss.
The pack was together for the next two laps before Greaves again went out on his own on lap four with the chasing pack of Agard, Geron Williams, Michael Anthony, Hamza Eastman and Paul De Nobrega 13 seconds back.
By the next lap (6), Greaves was hauled in and the six riders controlled proceedings with a gap by as much as 40 seconds until lap 11 when De Nobrega and Greaves separated themselves from their colleagues.
The duo established a handsome 30 plus second lead on the second pack and as much as two minutes on the main pack, the latter never stood a chance as they seemed content at the back.
But as the laps reduced so did the lead of De Nobrega and Greaves with Anthony, Eastman and Agard connecting with them on lap 17 minus Williams who unfortunately suffered a back wheel puncture on the said lap, he was never able to close the gap of 22 seconds that had developed to connect with leaders again.
In the sprint to the line, it was a ding dong battle between Greaves (Roraima Bikers Club) and Eastman (Team Coco’s) who matched each other pedal for pedal. It seemed for a moment that Eastman had it covered and in anticipation of a memorable win raised his right hand to celebrate which saw him losing some momentum to the line that allowed the experienced Greaves to push that tad bit more which resulted in Eastman being piped on the line as the excited fans cheered them on.
Greaves took victory in One Hour 53 Minutes 05 Seconds; it took some convincing and reviewing of video and still cameras to convince Eastman that he had lost. The 3rd to 6th places were occupied by Anthony, Agard, De Nobrega and Williams.
Speaking with the media following his win, Greaves informed that as a fierce competitor who always relishes challenges, he was in preparation mode for the past six months.
“I was training how I used to race but the first stage, it tell on me because of the racing speed. Racing speed and training speed is two different things so it was very tough on me in the first stage.”
He further stated that for the Time Trials he felt very drained and had no energy. “I had no, no energy in the second stage, so I went home and prepared for the last stage because I like quick races. So in the final sprint Hamza and Anthony took off with like 200 meters to the line, I took long to get up the gears, so when I get up the gear, now I saw myself coming towards them so I just pushed myself and Hamza raised his hand before the line so I just pushed my bike and chuck in, that’s how I won the last stage.”
Known as the ‘Spring King’ before his ban, Greaves who has announced his return with a bang said that he is well aware that next year would not be an easy task for him since his peers would have been competing an entire year ahead of him.
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