Cole urges TT support for Jr Pan Am

This is the first regional event the National Cycling Centre will host, following a successful Opening Test Event last month. Accompanying Cole on the junior team are Lorenzo Orozco, Dominique Lovell, Dean Woodsley, Jhordan St George, Shaquille Henry, Jabari Whiteman and Nicholas Paul.

Team captain Cole is anticipating the support from the home crowd.

Cole, speaking at the launch of the event yesterday at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, said, “This event provides a tremendous opportunity for us not only to represent our country in competing against junior cyclists from the rest of the western hemisphere but it also allows us to do so in front of our home crowd.” He added, “We expect a very difficult challenge but one we could handle.

We ask the public to come out and support us.” President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation Robert Farrier said hosting the Pan Am event will lead to major competitions being held at the Cycling Centre. Farrier added, “This is the start of greatness for our Federation.

I want to reach the top and the top is the TT Cycling Federation hosting a UCI (International Cycling Union) world championship event that will bring possibly 49 countries to our shores. Before we do that there is a movement - we will creep, we will walk and we will run and we will get it done.” Farrier explained he wants to host an Elite Pan American Championship, followed by a UCI World Series and finally a UCI World Championship all before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The Tourism Development Company, one of the sponsors of the competition, is happy to be on board. Hayden Straker, manager of TDC’s Niche Markets, said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with the TT Cycling Federation on this initiative, which we are confident will bring greater awareness to TT as a premier destination for hosting international sporting events.” Tickets will be on sale from Thursday at Mike’s Bikes (Woodbrook) Geronimo’s (Woodbrook), Bike Inn (Tunapuna) and Open Road Cycle Shop (Vistabella) and priced from $20 - $350. For further ticket information visit www.

ticketgateway.com