T&T cyclists gain from experience in Mexico

T&T’s Varun Maharajh gained priceless experience when he took an eighth place finish in the six-event Omnium at the 2013 Elite Pan American Cycling Championship, staged at the CNAR Velodrome in Mexico City, Mexico.

The single largest track cycling event in the western hemisphere concluded on Sunday. 

Maharajh opened his account at the championship four days prior with a tied 17th place finish in the points race as he failed to finish the event. 

A day later, the 21-year-old, ever-improving cyclist dipped below the five-minute mark in the individual pursuit for the first time, when he placed 18th in 4:50.369. 

He added a 10th place run in the 15km scratch race.

Unfortunately, the day was to mark a bad spell for T&T’s two other representatives, Kwesi Browne and Azikewe Kellar, who, due to different circumstances, were forced out of action for almost the duration of the championships.

Kellar was unable to compete after he fell ill with food poisoning, while in heat two of the keirin event, Browne took a heavy fall, and with the advice of doctors opted to remain off the track.

On Friday, Browne was scheduled to ride in the 1km time trial, but was inevitably ruled out of the race with his injury.

A day later, despite being ill, Kellar challenged the sprint and finished in 27th in 10.687 seconds, which ruled him out of the second round. 

In the race, 11 riders ducked under the 10 second mark, while T&T Olympian Njisane Phillip’s (9.775 seconds) record was broken by Venezuelan Hersony Canelon in the men’s flying 200m.

The Omnium event, which also opened on Saturday, proved to be T&T’s saving grace when Maharajh got off to a flying start in the first test, the flying 250m, in which he took ninth place in 13.637 seconds—a new national record.

The Omnium II followed with Maharajh placing seventh in the points race, before he faced an early elimination in the Omnium III.

On Sunday, the final three Omnium races took place, with Maharajh opening with another national record breaking performance, this time in the 4km individual pursuit, in which he clocked 4:44.506.

Despite his best efforts, he was unable to win any of the races, with the exception of the fifth Omnium event, the scratch race, in which he outclassed all of his opponents to cross the line first. 

He earned valuable points for the win, and with a seventh place finish in the concluding event, the 1km time trial, in which he also secured a personal time of 1:06.175, Maharajh was able to close the Omnium series of events in eighth with 43 points.

A sprint race was also scheduled for the final day, but neither T&T’s Browne and Kellar were able to compete, due to their lack of fitness due to the injury and illness, respectively.

Selected results

Sprint

Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Hersony Canelon    Ven
2nd    Joseph Veloce    Can
3rd    Santiago Ramirez    Col
27th    Azikiwe Kellar    Tri

1km Time Trial
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Fabian Puerta    Col
2nd    Angel Pulgar    Ven
3rd    Anderson Parra    Col
DNS    Kwesi Browne    Tri

Keirin
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Fabian Puerta    Col
2nd    Santiago Ramirez    Col
3rd    Leandro Botasso    Arg
21st    Kwesi Browne    Tri

Scratch
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Maximilliano Richeze    Arg
2nd    Jan Arias    Cub
3rd    Maximo Rojas    Ven
10th    Varun Maharajh    Tri

4km Individual Pursuit
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Eduardo Sepulveda    Arg
2nd    Mauro Agostini    Arg
3rd    Jhonatan Restrepo    Col
18th    Varun Maharajh    Tri

Points Race
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Maximo Rojas    Ven
2nd    Juan Arias    Cub
3rd    Manuel Rodas    Gua
DNF    Varun Maharajh    Tri

Omnium 
Rank    Name    Nat
1st    Fernando Gaviria    Col
2nd    Jose Aguirre    Mex
3rd    Pablo Seisdedos    Chi
8th    Varun Maharajh    Tri