Mc Kay beats Holder for top spot at 18th R&R International 40-miler


Race Results
  1. Warren `40’ McKay
  2. Christopher Holder
  3. Albert Philander
  4. Alex Mendes
  5. Geron Williams
  6. Raymond Newton


WARREN `40’ McKay out-foxed the field yesterday to win the 18th annual R&R International Limited-sponsored 40-mile cycle road race organised by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed.
McKay, who returned one hour 41 minutes 22 seconds in winning the event, also copped four of the six prime prizes that were up for grabs, while Geron Williams, who finished fifth overall and was the second junior to cross the finish line, won one prime. The other prime went to Talim Shaw.

Christopher Holder was the first junior to cross the finish line and was second overall, while Albert Philander, Alex Mendes and Raymond Newton placed third, fourth and sixth overall.

Newton was rewarded for being the first veteran to cross the finish line.

After being sent on their way from the Demerara Harbour Bridge, the 22 starters comprising seniors, juniors and veterans cyclists went off at a fast pace, which saw Shaw take the first of the six primes.

Alonzo Greaves, Raymond Newton, Enzo Matthews, Leer Nunes, McKay, Junior Niles, Robin Persaud, Williams, Mendes and Holder were all together in the leading bunch.

As the leaders approached Uitvlugt, Greaves swerved into Matthews’ cycle, causing the latter to fall while he (Greaves) burst one of his spokes and had to withdraw from further participation.

Approximately two miles from the turn-back point at Parika, Tyrone Hamilton and Philander joined the leaders and together they worked in tandem and opened a lead on the chasing pack.

As the leaders passed through Uitvlugt, McKay and Mendes jumped the pack and opened an approximate 60-metre lead on them.

Williams subsequently broke from the chasing pack and connected to the two leaders and the trio established a break on the chasing pack, but as the three leaders turned for the finish line at Vreed-en-Hoop, Holder and Philander appeared from `out of the blues’ and connected and together they came for the final together.

With approximately 200 metres remaining, Philander attacked, but Williams responded followed by Holder while McKay bided his time until 100 metres to go when he came from the rear to overtake the frontrunners and win the event.

However, after the event, Holder was accused of taking pace from his father who was on a CBR motorcycle.

It is alleged that Holder was dropped while on the upward journey as well as the downward journey, but his father took up a position in front of him and allowed him (Holder), to get back to the leaders.

Holder and his father denied any wrongdoing even though a cyclist who was a part of the race and who dropped out of the race, but knew that Holder was dropped, said there was no way that Holder could have reconnected to the leaders.

This caused some amount of confusion at the finish line and race organiser Hassan Mohamed has promised to look into the matter.

The presentation of prizes to the respective winners was done by Henry Rambarran, nephew of the sponsor Jacob Rambarran.