By Emmerson Campbell
“I used to ride and I also never had a bike of my own and now that I can afford it, I like to help because I have the passion for cycling.”
That’s how Team CoCo’s owner Ian Davis explained his support for the sport locally during an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport on Sunday.
He had just awarded a spanking new racing cycle to the first local finisher of the 30th annual three-stage cycle road race, Raynauth Jeffrey, and similar machines to eight other local cyclists.
The presentations were made at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall which coincided with the prize-giving ceremony of the three-stage road race which was won by Ivan Dominguez of the Miami, Florida-based club Coco’s.
The eight other awardees are Christopher Holder, Davendra Bissoon, Paul DeNobrega, Enzo Matthews, Raul Leal, Junior Niles and females Hazina Bharrat and Naomi Singh.
Davis said each bike cost US$5,000 (one million Guyana Dollars)
The benefactor, who has always been a part of sponsoring and developing the sport, said that he awarded the cycles for many reasons.
Said Davis: “I’m trying to improve the quality of cycling in Guyana. I’m here to support, I have a passion for cycling and I would like the standard of cycling in Guyana to be world standard.”
He continued: “The other reason I donated those bikes is because I want to form a junior team. I would like to guide these youngsters to become future champions not only in Guyana but worldwide – they have the talent and I believe in them.”
As a prerequisite for receiving one of the new cycles, each rider had to donate their old cycle to another less fortunate rider. Davis said the reason for that was to introduce the sport to more riders.
“The reason for donating their old cycle back to us, is a way now of introducing the sport of cycling to younger riders who don’t have bikes of their own, that way more riders would be integrated into the sport of cycling,” said Davis.
When asked to comment on the rapidly improving 17-year-old Jeffrey, Davis praised the junior cyclist.
“He is superb, I think he is one of the future of Guyana’s cycling. He has potential – I will be supporting him, I will take him under my wings in my interest and in the interest of this country. I could detect a good rider and I can tell he is one,” Davis commented.
Davis was also praised by Jeffrey for his gesture when Stabroek Sport spoke with the upcoming star in a telephone interview yesterday.
“I would like to thank Mr. Davis, I am very thankful, it’s a good bike I know it is better than the one I had before because the one before was too big for me and it had some problems. It was a 56 and this is a 54, this is my perfect size.”
Jeffrey, who rides for Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club, also stated that he plans on doing Davis proud once he becomes accustomed to his new racing machine as he plans on improving his times.
