Beacon cycling attracts top Cubans

THE LEADING Trinidad and Tobago cyclists will be involved in a keen tussle to gain selection on the regional team for the upcoming Beacon Insurance West Indies versus Rest of the World Series. Their chances of selection on the ten-man WI team have been made more difficult this year with the inclusion for the first time of three Cuban pedal-pushers who are expected to bolster the Caribbean challenge.

Details of the series of preparatory events to pick the top local riders were released yesterday at a media conference addressed by organiser Michael Phillips, assisted by events co-ordinator Richard Dickie and Junior Abraham at Beacon Insurance’s head office, Stanmore Avenue, Port-of-Spain. Also in attendance were president of the Cycling Federation Gerard Ferreira; top wheelsman Stephen Mangroo, Caribbean Road Cycling Champion; President’s Trophy winner Elijah Greene; “Most Promising Rider” Shanon Metevier and the consistent Clinton Grant. Also present was promising female rider Janelle Celestine.

Phillips, a former national track champion, said the Beacon Insurance Come Race Series will pedal off on Saturday with a 15-event track programme on the concrete-banked Arima Velodrome and will continue the following day, Sunday, with 10 road  races in front of Cricket Wicket, opposite the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain starting at 2 pm. Next weekend (March 22 and 23), the wheelsmen will resume rivalry at Skinner Park, San Fernando for a series of track races on Saturday and return to Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain, on Sunday for another road session in front of Cricket Wicket.

Final round of races in the Beacon Come Race Series, for which points will be awarded to the outstanding cyclists, will come off at the Arima Velorome on March 29. The Beacon West Indies versus Rest of the World grind gets underway in Trinidad on  Wednesday April 9 with a night-time Savannah Road Race  and continues on April 11 (Skinner Park); 12, 13 (Queen’s Park Oval). Phillips said the cycling caravan will also be on show in Barbados April 18, 19, 20; Tobago (April 22, 23); back in Trinidad (April 25, 26, 27); and for the first time in St Vincent and the Grenadines (May 1, 3, 4). The former ace speedster said the budget for this year’s series is approximately $800,000 with the prizes and incentives for the riders close to $100,000 representing a significant increase from what was given out last year.

Among the top wheelsmen expected to line up for the Rest of the World team is Czech sensation Pavel Buran who heads his country’s team. The highly-rated Czechs will be conducting a training camp as well as a competitive stint for the duration of the Beacon series. Other countries involved will be Argentina, Scotland, England, Canada, the US, and tentatively scheduled to participate are Venezuela and Colombia. The Cuban team will be led by 1999 Pan Am gold medallist Julio Herriera and World Cup medallist Michael Pedrosa who will be coming with their coach Hector Mendoza on April 3.

Welcoming the participation of the Cubans yesterday was Federation president Ferriera, who is also the Mayor of San Fernando. He said the Beacon series has fostered a renewal of cycling which continues to nurture and develop the sport over the past three years. Ferriera said the competition has afforded the local cyclists a level of competition which they would nornally have to pay huge sums of money for by travelling overseas to match wheels on the international stage. “I am happy to see Cuba become a part of the WI team and I think maybe the time has come to change the name to the Caribbean versus the Rest of the World Series,” said Ferreira, who is also a top cycling coach. “Cuba has always been a source of elite sportmen and the Beacon series offers a wonderful opportunity for the riders to rub shoulders and join in comraderie, sharing skills and experiences,” said Ferreira.

The top cycling official also commended the Beacon Come Race Series for not only providing a screening for the top riders as they bid for places on the national team but for also catering to  Tinymites, Juveniles, Category riders, veterans and women.