After a four-year hiatus, the Independence Three-Stage cycle road race returns to the capital city for the final sprint and award ceremony on May 16.
This was confirmed yesterday by Racing Secretary of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Malcolm Sonaram.
Sonaram told this publication that the three-decade-old, 171-mile fixture has returned to the GCF’s calendar, thanks to the Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., and his ministry which will blanket the cost of the event.
The race, the longest tenured cycling event in Guyana, was last staged in 2016 with Orville Hinds soloing to back-to-back victories. Its hiatus was due to disagreements for funding involving the then National Sports Commission (NSC) and the former top brass of the federation.
The flagship event, which attracts the cream of the nation’s wheelsmen as well as foreigners, is set to pedal off on May 15 from 07:30hrs with a 46-mile (75.6km) dash from Corriverton to New Amsterdam.
Seven hours later, the second stage starts from Rosignol and will proceed to CARIFESTA Avenue, Georgetown for the finish. (60 Miles) (96.5km).
For the grueling final stage, (65 Miles) (104.6km), the event starts the day after in Kara Kara, Linden from 07:30hrs and concludes at Homestretch Avenue in the capital city.
Among the contenders to clinch the 35th edition of the Independence Three-Stage Road Race are Jamual John, Brigton John, Curtis Dey, Christopher Griffith and Marcus Keiler.
The federation is now awaiting permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force to green light the prestigious fixture.
