OLYMPIC cyclist Nicholas Paul leads a six-member Trinidad and Tobago team at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Nations Cup which rides off in Cali, Colombia from September 9-12.
Paul will vie for honours in his pet event, men’s sprint, alongside male compatriots Zion Pulido, Quincy Alexander, Akil Campbell and Keron Bramble. US-based women’s pro cyclist Alexi Costa is the lone female representative.
The athletes will be joined by Gregory D’Andrade (coach), Roger Frontin (manager), Derek Ashby (physiotherapist) and Kevin Tinto (mechanic).
Coming off a deserving men’s Team Sprint silver medal finish at the Elite Pan American Track Cycling Championships in June, TT is expected to field another squad for the Nations Cup.
Both Pulido and Bramble were part of the recent medal-winning Pan Am team. Either Paul or Alexander will complete the three-man Team Sprint squad.
Paul, who placed sixth in the Olympic men’s sprint, is also expected to contest the men’s keirin event. At the Games, he placed 12th in the keirin. He is also the current men’s flying 200m world record holder (9.1 seconds).
The Pan Am Championships also served as the nation’s first qualifier event for the 2024 Paris Games. Good performances from the Team Sprint team, Campbell (gold in men’s scratch race) Costa (bronze in women’s scratch race) augur well for the squad moving forward.
They will be hoping to continue racking up podium performances at qualifier events to increase the nation’s chances of Paris qualification. The Nations Cup also provides points towards Olympic qualification.
Additionally, Ryan D’Abreau and Phoebe Sandy will be using the remaining days ahead to prepare for the Junior World Championships which pedals off in Cairo, Egypt from Spetmeber 1-5.
This team will be managed and coached by Fitzroy Daniel while Elisha Greene will serve as mechanic and TT Cycling Federation public relations officer Dawn Scott as chaperone.
Source: https://newsday.co.tt