Bigger numbers, bigger expectations for cyclists
Published:Wednesday | August 11, 2021 | 12:05 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
The Jamaica Cycling Federation expects better results from improved numbers at the Panam Road Cycling Championships and the Caribbean Cycling Championships.
Jamaica sent off its largest group of cyclists for an event yesterday, with 12 local riders set to participate in the championships, which will take place in the Dominican Republic from Thursday, August 12 to Sunday, August 15.
The 12 cyclists combine to make up three teams, an elite senior team for the Panam Road Cycling Championship, an Under-23 team for the Caribbean Championship, along with one female for the Panam competition.
Adrian Clarke, the national coach, pointed out that this is the most cyclists they have assembled for an overseas competition, and he expects improved performances from the participants, some of whom were at the 2019 editions in Cuba.
“The last time we went in 2019 we had a top-10 finish and a top-20 finish with a team of six. But this is the first time that we are sending away a team of 12 cyclists to any event,” Clarke admitted.
“For those returning on the team from 2019, they have a lot to prove in terms of getting better results than back then, so we are expecting great things,” he outlined.
He said they have put in the best preparation possible under the the current COVID-19 restrictions. However, his main concern is that they have not had much opportunities to see what their competitors are doing or what level they are at.
“We haven’t been able to see our competitors to know where they are, so we are going into the competition blind. So we do not know how to gauge where they are at, but we have prepared ourselves. It wasn’t until June that we started coming together and could have planned under COVID restrictions. We prepared the guys as best as possible and we got to about 75-80 per cent in the last week, as we had several road races trying to get them some race simulation as best, and the guys are up to the task,” Clarke explained.
The elite team include Jamar Brissett, Obrian Madourie, Russell Small, Jerome Forrest and Mark Williams. The Under-23s consist of national champion Alex Morgan, Steven McCalla, Brandon Baker, Kevan Pryce and Andrew Ramsay. Llori Sharpe will be the lone female representative.
He noted that Ramsay, who had a top-10 finish in Cuba, is coming back to get a medal, saying, “he is one of our best medal prospects”.
Clarke also has high high hopes for national time trialist Phillip McCatty, a former national triathlon champion.
“He has a wealth of experience and is based in Canada, and he is one of the favourites to win the time trial, which is a 40-kilometre individual race,” Clarke revealed.
The Caribbean championships will also be a qualifier for the Panam youth games in Cali, Colombia, in November, while elite riders gain points towards qualification for the Commonwealth Games.
“So we are not just going there to win the Championships, we are going there to qualify for major events also,” said Clarke.