The T&T Cycling Federation has set its sight on making the annual Easter International Grand Prix part of the International Cycling Union's (UCI) racing calendar. This year's Grand Prix pedals off at the Arima Municipal Stadium from April 3-6.
This was disclosed by Joseph Charles-Walcott, general secretary of T&T Cycling Federation, at the Sport Company of T&T head office, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Joseph-Walcott said, "the local cycling events committee has been working hard behind the scene in trying to get the Easter Grand Prix, to be the first track event in the Caribbean on the UCI's racing calendar.
"We already have a road race that is part of the UCI's calendar for the juniors and we are seeking to establish this Easter Grand Prix event on the UCI calendar. By doing so cyclists from around the world will then have to come here to gain points to improve their positions on the world standings in order to qualify for the World Championships, which will benefit us in the long run." he said.
Caryl Kellar, public relations officer of the T&TCF added, "The most prestigious event in the track cycling calendar is the World Championship, which is held annually, and it's very difficult for a cyclist to qualify for that championships.
Fortunately, last year, T&T had two cyclist doing so, but this time around we have no one and no matter how great you are a cyclist in your country, you still have to earn points to be high enough in the rankings in each event to qualify for the World Championships.
Kellar added, "The criteria is based on the standings set by UCI and this is why the points system is so important." Kellar pointed out the T&TCF already had preliminary discussions with the UCI and there are some documentation's that need to be completed. The UCI is also expected to be represented by one official for the Easter Grand Prix and Kellar noted that one of the challenges the local federation will face in getting the nod is how well they treat the international cyclists.
"They already know we don't have a 250-metre track, but we are in the process of getting one at Mucurapo," Kellar said. For the Grand Prix, T&T will be represented by an eight-man team headed by Pan American gold medallist Christopher Sellier and triple Pan Am Junior gold medallist Njisane Phillip. Phillip recently returned home from his UCI training base in Switzerland while Sellier, the national sprint champion, is currently in Dubai training but will be returning home in time to be part of the local sprint team. The other sprinters in the local team are Germany-based Haseem Mc Lean, the reigning national kierin champion and last year's Grand Prix winner, and Azikiwe Kellar, the defending national kilometre Time Trial champion and 2008 Pan American silver medallist.
Pan American bronze medallists, Elijah Greene, two-time President's Cup winner Colin Wilson, local road champion Adam Alexander and Marc Codrington. Gregory Dandrade is Chairman of the T&T Cycling Federation's Racing Committee. Kellar (Caryl) boasted that what is going to make the Grand Prix so exciting to the public is its two fold nature, as the flying 200 metres was going to be used as trials for sprinters desirous of going to the Pan American Championships.
The qualifying time for Pan Am is 11.50 seconds so cyclist wishing to qualify for the Kierin and Match Sprints have to do 11.5.
In addition, for the first time in over ten years, two "crack shot" sprinters in Frenchmen Thierry Jollet and Florian Vernay are expected for the three-day meet. The local juniors will also have to contend with some international rivals in Venezuelan duo, Luis Diaz and Andrez Diaz and Barbadian Javed Mounter, to see how they are shaping up for Pan Am Juniors. Three international women's cyclist will also be coming to test the top local quartet of Jodi Goodridge, Curlyn Wellington, Denise Francis and Aziza Browne.
T&T Easter Gran Prix cycling team
Njisane Phillip, Christopher Sellier, Haseem Mc Lean, Azikiwe Kellar, Elijah Greene, Colin Wilson, Adam Alexander, Marc Codrington.
Technical team:
Gene Samuel (manager), Christopher Pitt (mechanic), Christopher Gill (coach).
International cyclists
Barbados: Shane Weeks, Darren Matthews, Javed Mounter (junior), Charlie Pile.
Canada: Stephen Meyer
Colombia: Samir Cambindo (sprinter), Carlos Alzalte (endurance), Humberto Velasco.
France: Thierry Jollet (sprinter), Florian Vernay (sprinter), Kristy Cyprien (women).
Puerto Rico: Jose Gabriel Garcia (sprinter), Eduardo Colon (endurance), Maria del Mar Rivera (women's endurance), Silvio Pena.
Spain: Tomeu Gelabert (sprinter), Juan Peralta (sprinter).
England: Chris Pritchard.
USA: John Martin Mathieson III (sprinter), Kristopher North Karzen (endurance), Austin Carroll (endurance), Erin Wesly-Hartwell.
Venezuela: Luis Diaz (junior), Andrez Diaz (junior), Zuralmy Rivas (woman), Edgar da Silva.