-Pollydore wins final stage but Greaves takes maiden title
Alonzo `Zo’ Greaves won his maiden National Sports Commission (NSC) sponsored Independence three-stage cycle road race yesterday although defending champion Godfrey Pollydore won the final stage of the event.
Pollydore, who also won the first stage, won yesterday’s third stage from Kara Kara on the Linden Highway to Homestretch Avenue in a time of 6hrs. 59m: 38s.
Greaves, who rides for Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club (CWCC), had won the second stage on Saturday.
Second position was occupied by Kaieteur Cycle Club’s Christopher Holder, who finished yesterday’s event in six hours, 59 minutes and 42 seconds.
Tony Simon, another CWCC cyclist occupied the third position overall, a further six seconds behind Holder, while Pollydore, who won last year’s event in a time of seven hours, 20 minutes and 14 seconds, occupied the fourth position, 46 seconds behind Greaves.
St. Maarten-based cyclists Gordon Kennedy and Andrew Reece rounded off the top six positions 55 and 86 seconds behind Greaves, who claimed his first three-stage cycle road race title after five attempts.
Having won the first stage from Corriverton to Rosignol, but failing to finish in the first peloton of the second stage which was won by Greaves, Pollydore went into the final stage trailing the new champion by one minute and 39 seconds.
He needed to erase that deficit to claim his fifth overall title in the event which is the brainchild of national cycling coach Hassan Mohammed.
Pollydore, Kennedy, Simon, Holder Jnr., Reece, Greaves and Warren Mc Kay broke away from the peloton as they approached the Splashmins Resort but the lead was short-lived as the peloton, led by Leer Nunes and including Enzo Matthews, Samuel Barker, Phillip Piggott, Sven Stekkler, Seder Ruiz, Gregory Haymer and Robin Persaud, reconnected with them.
It was hard work for the overall front runners who were being chased down by the peloton after each move.
Even when Kennedy, Pollydore, Persaud and Nunes made another attempt to go away from the peloton, that too was short-lived as they were wheeled in at Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara.
But as they approached Diamond, the same four thought they had enough of the main peloton and made another move which received no response from the peloton which had by then been divided into two.
The front four stayed together throughout the remainder of the 62-mile journey and Pollydore displayed his sprinting ability for the second time when he outsprinted Nunes, Kennedy and Persaud who finished behind him in that order to take the stage in a time of two hours, 53 minutes and 40 seconds.
But the stage victory was not enough to grant him the overall title, as Greaves led the first peloton which included Holder Jnr., Simon, Reece, Mc Kay, Stekkler and Ruiz home, 43 seconds behind the first four finishers.
By virtue of finishing second overall, Holder Jnr. also claimed the junior title for himself, whilst Ian Jackson won the veterans category in a time of seven hours, four minutes and 48 seconds.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr Frank Anthony congratulated the cyclists for the discipline they displayed throughout the three stages and congratulated Greaves for answering the call of having a locally-based cyclist win the title.
“Even though a home-based cyclist answered the call and won the event, I must say how disappointed I am that the 11-year-old record held jointly by Pollydore and Dwayne Gibbs still stands. But on a lighter note, it was pleasing to see the top six finishers completing the gruelling ride under last year’s time.”
He added: “The race was executed so quickly, that the records shows the first 14 finishers completing the 169-mile event under last year’s time and I want to challenge you to train harder as the next big event within your sights would be the third annual Ministry of Health, MCYS, National AIDS Secretariat ‘Ride for Life’ five stage cycle road race in November and I would like to see a change in that event’s overall time.”
The presentation of prizes was done at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) shortly after the completion of the final stage.
