he final two stages of the 7th Annual Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial race will ride off today.
We Stand United Andrew HicksLinden Bauxite Flyers’ Shaquel Agard
With the first stage done and dusted, the second stage will be a journey beginning from Kara Kara on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway with the riders proceeding to the usual Georgetown finishing line in front of the National Sports Commission, Homestretch Avenue. This stage is expected to ride off from 09:00h as riders who are desirous of taking transportation provided will have to assemble in front of the finish line at 05:00h.
Meanwhile, the third and final stage will get underway later in the day from Homestretch Avenue. The riders will proceed to Belfield, East Coast Demerara and return to the place of origin for the finish.
With United We Stand’s Andrew Hicks recording his first victory in the senior category during the first stage of this event, in a time of one hour three minutes and 34 seconds (01:03:34) as the race got underway from New Amsterdam, Berbice and proceeding to Rose Hall, Corentyne before returning to the starting line for the finish.
Hicks will be furious heading into these two stages as he has not recorded a win since, but has been in the thick of things with the other riders.
In the spot light will be Hamzah Eastman of Team Cocos who is heading into these stages with wins in the last two races under his belt. Also amongst the top riders are Geron Williams of Continental, Team Coco’s Jamaul John and Stephano Husbands, Evolution’s Paul Nobrega and Orville Hinds, as well as Team Alanis’ Alonzo Ambrose and Linden Bauxite Flyer’s Shaquel Agard who won the national three stage races last year.
When the race began six years ago, it was done in the form of only one stage before expanding to two stages four years later and it finally expanded to the stage it is now.
The race has always been held in the month of February, the birth month of the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and has always attracted a large field of cyclists from Georgetown, Linden and Berbice.
The winners will be rewarded with cash prizes for the 94th birth anniversary of the former President.
Last year it was Team Gillette Evolution who dominated the race with Raul Leal clocking in five hours, 54 minutes and five seconds (05:54:05) for the top podium spot. He led his club mates, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams and Orville Hinds on the podium to underline their dominance.
He won the first stage in Berbice, placed fourth in the second stage (Linden to Home-stretch Avenue) and pedalled in second, the final stage from the National Cultural Centre to Belfield and back to win.Belfield and back to win.
