The riders were bunched at the start of the Mash Cup cycling race
Geron Williams, of the Continental Cycle Club, in a time of one hour, 35 minutes, 40 seconds (1h: 35m: 40s), won the Sanko Benjamin 80th birthday 50-miler cycle race on Monday.
Williams out sprinted Raul Leal, Orville Hinds, Wayne De Nobegra and Raynauth Jeffery to take the event, which started at Fyrish and went up the Corentyne Coast to Number 43 Village, before returning to the starting point to complete the 50-mile journey.
Williams took home $80,000, a bouquet and a bottle of Champagne.
In second place was De Nobrega, with Hinds, Jeffery, Leal and Alanzo Greaves finishing in that order.
Greaves was part of the second bunch to cross the finish line and had to pull hard in the last few meters to claim a meaningful place.
Geron Williams (centre) recieving his bottle of champaign
There were two events – one for the regular senior, junior and veteran riders, while another, a seven-mile race, was for beginners. The main event saw 47 riders taking the starting line, while 53 started the beginner’s race.
After taking top honours the day before in the annual Forbes Burnham Memorial Cycle road race in Georgetown, the in-form Williams was among a bunch of about ten riders who broke away early in the event.
As the race got deeper, the bunch broke up to a group of five that included Williams, Hinds, Lead, De Nobegra and Jeffery.
It was a tough battle, as the five kept the lead, with each cyclist taking turns to pass the other for the possible break away. However, none was successful, and the trend continued until the turn-back point.
The top junior on show was Leal, with Akeem Author second, and Michael Anthony third.
Junior Niles rode home first among the veterans, with Kennard Lovell second, and Wilbert Benjamin third. Richard Charles won the Mountain Bike category from Oseao McCaulay.
The special seven-mile race, which began at the Benjamin Sports Store, turning back at the Tain Berbice Campus, saw David Simon winning the boys’ category from Symion Allicock. The girl’s race was won by Deonce Welch from Shenica Texeria and Allia Benjamin.
It was the second event sponsored by Benjamin, a former national cyclist, and his family for the year so far.
The event was organized by Coach of the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC) Randolph Roberts.The Benjamin’s family plans to make the event an annual affair.