Three-Stage cycling: Agard takes overall lead

By Avenash Ramzan

Linden’s Bauxite Flyers’ rider Shaquel Agard has assumed pole position after two completed stages of the Guyana Cycling Federation/National Sports Commission’s Three-Stage cycling meet, which started on Saturday.

Agard, who finished third in the opening stage- a Road Race, and clocked the fastest time in stage two- a Time Trial, has the best overall time heading into Sunday’s final stage in Georgetown.

The teenager has an overall time of two hours, 47 minutes, 23 seconds (02h: 47m: 23s), slightly ahead of reigning National Road Race champion, Geron Williams, who the opening leg. Williams’ overall time is two hours, 47 minutes, 33 seconds (02h: 47m: 33s).

Completing the top 10 heading into the final leg are Michael Anthony (02h: 47m: 38s), Christopher Cornelius (02h: 47m: 48s), Andrew Hicks (02h: 48m: 19s), Hamzah Eastman (02h: 28m; 34s), Alanzo Greaves (02h: 48m: 35s), Walter Grant Stuart (02h: 48m: 52s), Raymond Newton (02h: 49m: 04s) and Raphael Leung (02h: 49m: 24s).

In the opening leg from Georgetown to Mahaicony and back, covering a distance of 65 miles, Williams outsprinted Greaves, who was making a return to the sport after a one year suspension for failing an anti-doping test.

Williams was clocked at two hours, 38 minutes, 46 seconds (02h: 38m: 46s). Greaves, along with Agard, Eastman, Anthony, Cornelius, Hicks and Grant Stuart, received the same time, while Newton, Paul Chooweenam, Christopher Holder, Paul DeNobrega, Christopher Griffith and Leung were timed at two hours, 39 minutes, 51 seconds (02h: 39m: 51s).

Junior Niles, Kemuel Moses, Jornel Yearwood, Stephano Husbands and Silvio Inniss all received a bunch time of two hours, 45 minutes, 56 seconds (02h: 45m: 56s).

Later in the day, the riders competed in the Time Trial from Georgetown to Plaisance, a distance of 3.5 miles.

Agard recorded the fastest time, finishing the course in eight minutes, 42 seconds (08m: 42s). Rounding out the top 10 were Anthony (08m: 54s), Williams (08m: 57s), Cornelius (09m: 03s), Akeem Wilkinson (09m: 07s), Newton (09m: 13s), Leung (09m: 33s), Hicks (09m: 33s), Deeraj Garbarran (09m: 38s) and Eastman (09m: 51s).

The third and final leg will take place on Sunday, starting at 11:00h, in the form of a 30-lap race around the outer circuit of the National Park, covering 70 miles.

Cover photo caption: Riders along the course during the Road Race on Saturday morning (Photos: Guyana Cycling News)