Top riders for 2017 Easter Grand Prix

National Olympian Njisane Phillip will be getting stiff competition from the like of former Pan Am gold medallist and twotime Olympian Hersony Canelon from Venezuela, Sol Angie Roa of Colombia and Eoin Mullen from Ireland. Other top local riders scheduled to compete are Quincy Alexander and Teneil Campbell This country continues to strive to gain a reputation in the cycling world and this year’s three-day affair is likely to be its biggest Easter event with the theme “Where speed meets paradise”. The Grand Prix pedals off at the Arima Velodrome from April 14-15 and and at the National Cycling Centre on April 17.

The Easter International Grand Prix is sanctioned by the UCI (International Cycling Union) and this year has gained a higher rating of UCI Class I & II Events, making it even more attractive to foreign cyclists.

Speaking after the event’s official media launch yesterday at the National Cycling Centre, president of TTCF, Robert Farrier said, “The event sees cyclists, both locally and internationally, ranging from ages five to 75 competing in various competitions, held at both cycling venues located in Trinidad.” He added, “This is a product we are trying to evolve in order to generate public support. The facility (in Arima) is designed to create an exhilarating atmosphere as the track is smaller and everything is faster so we’re in for some exciting races.” The Arima Velodrome is a mainstay for track cyclists throughout the Caribbean as the 460m concrete track with 20 degree banks has been the home of a number of epic battles. The Elite Men Sprint and the Elite Men Omnium are registered as UCI Class I events while the Elite Men Keirin, Elite Women Sprint & Keirin, Junior Men Sprints, Junior Women 500m TT and Elite Men Scratch events are registered as UCI Class II. Cyclist are eagerly anticipating gaining valuable UCI points towards their World Cup and World Championships qualification.

Participating countries over the Easter weekend include Antigua, Argentina, Barbados, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Suriname, USA, Venezuela and host country Trinidad and Tobago.

The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, SporTT Company of Trinidad and Tobago, NLCB, Confederacion Panamericana, UCI, Dasani and Cole & Associates Engineered Safety Systems Limited.

The tournament starts at 5 pm on both days at the Arima Velodrome and consists of two sessions (morning 10am/afternoon 5pm) at the National Cycling Centre. Admission is set at $50 for adults and $10 for children under 12 years. Entry is free for the morning session on Easter Monday.