Storming rides from Briton John and Denise Jeffrey sealed victories in the men’s and women’s Time-Trial Championships yesterday on the Linden Highway with Ajay Gopilall powering to victory in the junior category.
With perennial Time-Trial champions, Raynauth Jeffrey and Claire Fraser-Green sitting out this year’s championships in protest of the current executive of the Guyana Cycling Federation, John and Jeffrey were able to add to their palmares.
John (29m.09s) who was the junior champion last year, produced a supreme effort as he raced across the line with a 26-second margin over his nearest challenger, Michael Anthony (29.35s) in the 20km solo trek.
Jamaul John joined the duo on the podium 18 seconds behind Anthony.
Jeffrey (18.40) bested Elizabeth Small (19.13) and Shenika Texeira (22.15) in the ladies category which was competed over 10km.
Gopilall who recorded the sixth fastest time of the day (31.02) took the top honors in the junior category. There was no other rider in the category.
Meanwhile, Paul Chooweenam was crowned this year’s Master’s Champion.
The Team Alanis captain finished the course in 33.09, good enough to finish ahead of Leer Nunes (33.20) and Keith Fernandes (34.10), the other podium finishers.
The championship continues this morning with the Road Race. Starting time is 7:30hrs on Homestretch Avenue.
The juniors and Veterans will race for 80 miles from Homestretch Avenue to Long Creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, while the ladies and juveniles will compete for 52 miles. The ladies and juveniles will turn back in Timehri.
The elite men will saddle up next Sunday on the same route also from 07:30hrs, however, they will proceed to Moblissa on the Linden Highway.
Below is a joint statement posted on Facebook by Jeffrey and Fraser-Green:
As the current double National Champions, we Raynauth Jeffrey and Claire Fraser-Green have made the difficult decision not to attend this year’s championships. Whilst we acknowledge that this may be deemed disrespectful to the annual institution, we see no other way to express our grave concerns about the lack of transparency and consultation in all aspects of the running of the GCF. We are dismayed that the GCF is refusing to be held accountable. We stand with, and are grateful to those who are working hard to ensure a better future for cycling in Guyana. We urge the current GCF administration to hold elections as soon as possible. We wish all cyclists who take part this weekend all the luck in the world, and look forward to racing against them all again next year.
