EIGHT cyclists have been selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the Easter International Grand Prix which pedals off at three venues across April 18-20.
Four sprinters – Zion Pulido, Ryan D’Abreau, Darnell James, Jelani Nedd – and four endurance cyclists – Akil Campbell, Tariq Woods, Liam Trepte, Jadian Neaves – vie for top honours against some of the region’s best riders at the UCI class two event.
D’Abreau is fresh off his first-ever Elite Pan American Cycling Championships stint where he pedaled to men’s team sprint gold alongside Njisane Phillip and speedster Nicholas Paul.
Pulido is also expected to scorch the track for team TT having bagged team sprint silver, gold and silver during his stint at the Elite Pan Ams from 2021 to 2023.
Darnell James is a 2024 Junior Pan Am champs keirin bronze medallist and also partnered with Nedd and Syndel Samaroo to bag silver team sprint silver at the same event.
Campbell is no stranger to the circuit and held on to bronze in the scratch race at last year’s Elite Pan Ams. He was also part of the team in Paraguay but was unlucky not to seal a podium place.
Neaves also rode to Omnium bronze at last year’s edition and is hoping to improve on his performance this time around. Additionally, Trepte and Woods have been bossing the local endurance circuit and will add much strength and knowledge to the endurance team.
Scores of the TT cyclists will be on show at the event, but they will represent their respective clubs.
Cyclists from the US, Barbados and Suriname have already begun to arrive in TT for this weekend’s event. The Jamaicans arrive over the next couple of days.
Day one rides off at the Ian Atherly Cycle Track in Skinner Park, San Fernando, on April 18. Day two gets under way at the Arima Velodrome and the final day, at the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva. Action begins from 5 pm on all days.
Skinner Park and Arima host more endurance races (scratch, points) and also feature youth developers and masters events. On April 20, the sprint and omnium events ride off on the indoor track in Couva.
American cyclist George Qadado, 33, has been in Trinidad for the past month acclimatising to the level of competition he’s expected to face across the three days.
The category two cyclist said, “It’s my first time in Trinidad and I’ve long planned to target this event. I’ve cutting my teeth (getting accustomed) on the level of competition here and I’ve felt welcomed by the federation. We (US) don’t have anywhere near the same calibre of events or athletes that specialize in track and I’m trying to learn as much as I can to get that experience and exposure and see how far I can advance myself within track cycling Pan Am community,” Qadado said.
Para-cycling will also be featured.
TT Cycling Federation president Rowena Williams thanked Nucor, NGC, Sport and Culture Fund, SporTT, Bike Inn, Rigtech Sonics and Blue Waters for their support in hosting the event, which now spans over 40 years in existence.
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
