walter.alibey@guardian.co.tt
There are huge expectations from the cycling fraternity and the governing T&T Cycling Federation ahead of tomorrow's (Friday's) departure of the national team for the International Cycling Union (UCI) Cycling World Cup in Berlin, Germany, which is a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
The team of Njisane Phillip, Kwesi Brown, Nicholas Paul and reserve rider Keron Bramble will square-off with the world's best in the Team Sprint, match sprints and possibly the keirin events when the World Cup pedals off November 30. And based on the performances and times of the riders to date, president Robert Farrier is urging fans to brace for good performances, top finishes and possibly medals.
"I think based on the times being produced by the international riders, our cyclists should be really competitive," Farrier said.
For this year alone the T&T quartet won gold medals at the Elite Pan American Games in Aguascalientes, Mexico in August and twice shattered the national record for the team sprint on their way to winning the gold.
The quartet also won a gold medal in the team sprint at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia which was among nine medals won by the T&T team during the Games. The contingent won four gold and five bronze medal. There were also individual medals for Paul and Browne at the same competition, with the latter claiming a bronze in the keirin and Paul securing his second gold medal in the 1 Kilometre Time Trial event.
Roxanne Ramnath, Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the TTCF said she is also expecting top medal performances at the world cup. "In fact, I am expecting our cyclists to achieve their goal of qualifying for the Olympics and even produce podium performances. In spite of the lack of funding available, the cyclists continue to improve. They have been really focused and with the support of the cycling federation executives, the riders are going to achieve their goal," Ramnath told Guardian Media Sports.
Ramnath revealed also that her executives have already begun working alongside the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the international governing body- the UCI, and corporate T&T with an aim of securing funding for the team for the Olympics.
In addition to the World Cup in Berlin, the T&T cyclists will also head to the London England World Cup from December 15, which will be a two-day affair.
Canadian Erin Hartwell, who will serve as the team's coach and manager, left yesterday, ahead of the riders with the intentions of putting things into place for the cyclists' arrival.