D’Ornellas wants to introduce biking tourism in Guyana
… local cyclists could be riding in Tour de Portugal
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
January 31, 2007
WORLD-class cyclist Eon D’Ornellas will soon give back to the country of his birth by introducing biking tourism here in partnership with Roraima Airways, leading to eventual sponsorship of a major road race series.
This was announced at a press conference hosted by Roraima Airways and D’Ornellas Bike Shop.
Roraima’s Captain Gerry Gouveia pointed out that Guyana promoted eco and adventure tourism and this was a step towards sport tourism with focus on biking tourism.
He said the concept was to combine road biking with mountain biking, visiting Kaieteur Falls and resorts, do kayaking and interacting with the local community.
Gouveia said that they were working at the mechanism to have D’Ornellas initially sponsor a three-stage road race and workshops with local cyclists.
D’Ornellas, who migrated to Canada at 17 years and dedicated his life to cycling, is here on an exploratory visit to check facilities to bring tourists to Guyana for biking.
“The roads are fantastic. I know we can come here yearly.”
He has a club of about 250 cyclists and organises bike tours to Portugal, Spain and France.
“Why not Guyana? They will be delighted to visit Guyana. We will make it quite different from those in Europe.”
D’Ornellas said he started his cycling career here and worked hard to reach international recognition, but missed four Olympics from 1972 for one reason or another, turned professional then retired in 1988.
He won a silver medal in the 1978 Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the Pan-American Games the following year. He was also twice the Canadian road champion.
Now D’Ornellas sees a Guyana team venturing out in the Tour de Portugal, but cyclists will have to participate in several multi-stage races here, leading up to such a trip.
He is proposing the staging of three such races annually, one in March, one July and one in September to climax the series with a 10-day race.
“We will make it attractive and eventually bring down quality riders.”
Cyclists will have 12-14 weeks of preparation for the meets and two weeks for recovery.
To enhance exposure, D’Ornellas said the local cyclists would have to participate in two big events abroad and eventually a team could enter the Tour de Portugal.
“I could get the support. They will have to do a lot of hilly courses. We’re looking at seven to eight years down the road. I could help with sponsorship.”