NSC 40-Mile Mash Cycle Road Race…Orville Hinds cruises to victory; Leal, Persaud & Charles take other categories

Feb 03, 2014 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
On another rainy day in the ‘Land of Many Waters’, Guyana’s leading cyclists went head to head in the National Sports Commission sponsored 40-mile road race on the West Demerara, the first on this terrain for the new season.

Orville Hinds receives his prize from NSC’s Hassan Mohamed.

Emerging as the best after One Hour 39 Minutes 59.92 Seconds was Linden’s Orville Hinds who is riding under the banner of United Bike Shop. One of the consistent competitors in the sport and a disciplined athlete, Hinds won comfortably from a seasoned field.
Like Junior Niles did the day before in the feature race at the National Park when he emerged from the pack to win, Hinds mirrored that performance in cantering to victory.
Robin Persaud, who is now competing in the veteran category (riders over the age of 35), settled for the overall second place to Hinds and was followed by Raul Leal who also took the junior category.
Geron Williams claimed the fourth place, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams placed fifth with Chris Persaud taking the sixth and final spot.
Sharing the prime prizes with one each were Albert Philander, Leal, Geron Williams, Marlon Williams and Raynauth Jeffrey.
The race was slightly delayed due to heavy rain, but once it got going from the Demerara Harbour Bridge (Scoonorde), the 51-starters in their colourful attire added brightness under the dark skies.
Going on the early break on the upward journey were Geron and Marlon Williams, Leal and Jeffrey and that was at Crane. The quartet established quite a sizable lead on the second pack to the extent that even when they turned back at Bushy Park on the East Bank of Essequibo, they were still by themselves.
It was after hitting Leonora on the downward journey that some of the chasing pack was able to connect, but soon after Jeffrey, De Nobrega and Geron went on a break. In all the excitement, Hinds kept his composure and waited for the opportune moment to make his move and that he did with about 150 meters to the line.
Akeem Arthur finished second to Leal in the junior category while Jude Bentley occupied a similar position to Robin Persaud in the veteran class. Richard Charles won the mountain bike category from Ozia Macullay.