Masterful Mendes storms to Ricks and Sari’s Regan Rodrigues Memorial cycling win

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

Veteran Alex Mendes has shown his experience in Sunday’s 44-mile Ricks and Sari Regan Rodrigues Memorial cycle race by winning the event in one hour 40 minutes and 26 seconds.
In steaming conditions, the cyclists engaged each other in battle from Schoonord, West Bank Demerara to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo, and returned for the grand finish at the point of origin.
Mendes emerged the best sprinter in the end, ahead of Team Alanis’s Kemuel Moses (second) and the veteran Paul Choo-wee-Nam who came in third. Fresh from a win in the ancient county, Andre ‘Padlock’ Green rode solo in fourth position, while Warren McKay completed the sprint in the peloton to claim fifth position and Paul De Nobrega came in sixth.

Team Evolution rider De Nobrega bagged two sprint prizes, as did Choo-Wee-Nam; while Mendes and Moses each took one. In the junior category, outstanding Berbician Mario Washington rode in first, while Alexander Leung and Aaron Newton rounded out the top three juniors.

Impressive National female champion Suzanne Hamilton emerged victor in her category, followed by Clavicia Spencer. Kennard Lovell was the oldest cyclist that crossed the finishing line. Ian Jackson emerged winner of the over-50 category, clocking in at one hour 25 minutes, while Talim Shaw came in second and Kennard Lovell came in third.

Champion rider Mendes has described the race as a good one from the start, and he disclosed that his team had a plan to make it hard early for other riders.
“Eventually we had a break, and couple of us went down the road. The strategy worked, and about four or five of my team mates were with me. We had numbers on the break, so one of us had to be in front at the end. We started attacks with five miles in the race to go because the plan was to get one or two of our boys in front. It worked out for us, and I managed to beat the boys,” Mendes told Guyana Times Sport.
The sponsors Ricks and Sari graced the race with their presence, while the Guyana Police Force played their part to ensure a smooth race.
The late Regan Rodrigues was a former member of the Carlton Wheelers Cycling Club and a race car driver. He was born on February 21, 1948 and passed away on August 4, 2004.