Michael Anthony emerged winner of the first road race of the 2015 cycling season yesterday.
The Team Evolution rider raced to victory in the Benjamin’s Sports Store 50-mile event in Berbice one day after his club mate, Marlon Williams took the spoils of the feature 35-lap event of the Ricks and Sari Programme in the National Park.
Anthony, 18, led Roraima Biker’s Alanzo Greaves and Team Alanis’ Paul DeNobrega onto the podium in a thrilling sprint to the finish. His club mate and defending champion of the fixture Orville Hinds placed fourth.
“I didn’t just win it for me, I won it for my team. But I was really looking forward to the win today” Anthony said post-race.
The race which rolled off at Fyrish, proceeded to NO. 51 Village and returned to the point of origin, initially saw several sets of riders staging unsuccessful getaways.
However, at NO. 35 Village, Anthony and Greaves were part of a six-man group that moved away from the main bunch.
With the high pacing of Greaves, the leaders were able to sustain their lead for a considerable amount of time.
As the leaders tired, a strong-five man group made up of Hinds, DeNobrega and Robin Persaud eventually connected to the leaders at Adventure.
Several attacks ensued after but none of the riders were able to create any separation.
In the final 200 metres, Hinds rolled up the sprint causing a chain reaction as Greaves, Anthony and DeNobrega rose from their saddles.
Armed with fresher legs, Anthony was able to power through and edge out his fellow national rider.
In his first year as a senior, Anthony graded the victory an ‘A’ and highlighted that he felt “real good” besting a field of the nation’s premier wheelsmen.
Greaves who also placed second on Saturday, would have the consolation of pocketing five of the eight sprint prizes. (Emmerson Campbell)
Quick Results
Seniors
Michael Anthony
Alanzo Greaves
Paul DeNobrega
Orville Hinds
Alonzo Ambrose
Mark Harris
Juniors
Romello Crawford
Jamal John
Raphael Leung
Veterans
Junior Niles
Seaborne
Fernandes
Jaikarran Sukhai
