Sunday, September 5 2010

TODAY’S National Cycling Championship Road Race on a course now popularly known as the “La Romaine Block” will determined who will be the Cyclist of the Year.

And it appears as though top endurance rider Adam Alexander will be favoured to cop this award — the President’s Cup, when the race pedals off at 7 am this morning.

Alexander who has been improving with every ride, is among the top three senior cyclists with ten points, the others being sprinter star Christopher Sellier and the National Keirin champion Haseem Mc Lean.

Yesterday Racing Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) Gregory Dandrade confirmed that both Sellier and Mc Lean will be in training for the coming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India in October and will not take part in today’s National championship road race.

It means that with another big performance today Alexander will cop the title that has eluded him for several years.

Alexander’s main concern will be the determined Barry Luces who will also secure the top prize should he gain the five points available for a victory this morning. He is currently on nine points while cycle legend Gene “Geronimo” Samuel and his close rival Darriel Perreira are on eight points each.

Govian Gomes who won last week’s Criterium around the King George V Park, St Clair will also need to win outright to secure the title and bragging rights.

His victory last week earned him five points and another five can propel him to the top spot. In today’s race the senior riders will contest a challenging 100 miles while Juniors and 40-plus racers will tackle a distance of 60 miles.

Dandrade said that Women and Tinymites will be made to pedal a distance of 21 kilometres while Veterans 50 and 60-plus will have to cover a 40 kilometre circuit.

The race begins in front Ma Pau Private members Club which is just opposite the Gulf City Shopping Mall and will proceed towards the Mosquito Creek before veering left by Paria Suites and onto the M2 Ring Road and back to the start.