By Michael DaSilva
TEENAGE cycling sensation Geron Williams upstaged his senior counterparts by winning the inaugural Victor Macedo Memorial Two-Stage Cycle Road race organised by the Flying Stars Cycle Club.
The 15-year-old returned a winning time of two hours 35 minutes 50 seconds (2:35.50) to win from Leer Nunes (2:39.01) and Junior Niles (2:39.04) respectively.

Williams, who placed fifth in yesterday’s 60-mile race which commenced with a rolling start from the late Macedo’s residence, Peter Rose Street, Queenstown, was the winner of Saturday’s 4K time trial and not Leer Nunes as was reported in another section of the media yesterday.

According to that section of the media, Nunes won the time trial which started from the Sparendaam Police Station and ended at the Texaco Gas Station, Bel Air, with a time of 4:46.54.

The report stated that Williams placed fifth in that first stage, but when the organisers went back to the times recorded by the 21 starters, they found out that Williams took off one minute from the cyclist who started the time trial before him and put on 15 seconds, making him and not Nunes, the first-place finisher.

All the teenager and 2012 London Olympics prospect had to do was stay with the leading bunch and that he did indeed.

The other top four positions yesterday were occupied by Alonzo Greaves (2:39.08) who won yesterday’s stage, Darren Allen (2:39.11), Tyrone Hamilton (2:39.24) and Raymond Newton (2:41.58) who was the winner of the veteran category.

Williams, who won one of the 10 prime prizes that were at stake, also won the junior category.

Greaves won five prime prizes while Juuior Niles, who placed second in the 60-mile race yesterday, won two.

Allen and Nunes each took one prime.

After roll-starting in Queenstown, the riders were shown the green flag at the Kitty Pump Station and almost immediately, seven cyclists - Williams, Greaves, Newton, Nunes, Allen, Niles and Hamilton distanced themselves from the others and opened a sizeable lead.

As the leaders passed through Success, East Coast Demerara, Nunes suffered a puncture and had a wheel change but managed to reunite with the leading bunch.

Newton subsequently suffered a similar fate, but the wheel he got from his supporters were soft and so lost more time to get another wheel and was unable to reconnect with the others, while the chasing pack which included Wayne DeAbreu, Kalamadeen Baksh, Ossie Edwards and Jaikaran Sukhai failed to make an impression, allowing the six leading riders to continue the downward journey unchallenged.

They stayed together until they reached Sheriff Street, when Greaves attacked but was caught by the others.

As the six turned by the Russian Embassy, Greaves once again attacked and was once again sucked in by the other five and as they approached the back gate to the Guyana Defence Force playfield, the sprint started. Williams tucked in and stayed with the others to place fifth and win the overall race which the sponsors promised to make a three-stage event next year and invite foreign riders.

The presentation of prizes to the respective winners was done by family members of the late Victor Macedo.