Abraham: A win for my teammate is a win for me

EXPERIENCED TT cyclist Emile Abraham knows that the local fans on Ariapita Avenue on Wednesday night wanted to see him win the main event, but said Team Pharmaco’s strategy was to give their fastest rider Frank Travieso the opportunity to capture the title.

As usual, hundreds of spectators witnessed Beacon Cycling on the Avenue on Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook with the 30-lap (1.3K per lap) event bringing the event to an exciting close. A number of lap prizes were up for grabs during the race, with Team Pharmaco winning a number of them.

With two laps remaining, all the cyclists were bunched together as the overall prize was up for grabs. The race remained close thereafter and it ended in a sprint finish with Cuban American Travieso winning gold. Finishing second was Barbadian cyclist Jamol Eastmond of Heatwave and Travieso’s teammate Alberto Ramos ended third in the main event, which included approximately 30 cyclists.

After the victory Travieso said he enjoyed the crowd’s energy. He said, “The race was fast and furious. It was a night race, something we do all the time in the states. I was really excited to come to Trinidad and I felt like home. It’s crazy, the crowd here, the spectators make the race (great). You look around everybody cheering.” Travieso said he was not familiar with the course, so he followed Abraham’s lead. “I did not know anything about the course...(I followed) Emile because he knows this race to perfection,” Travieso said.

Tobago-born Abraham said his team made the decision to let Travieso win the title because of his ability. “We had our team meeting before and I told them, ‘Listen Frank is a guy we want to win today (Wednesday).

He is our most experienced and fastest guy out here,” Abraham said.

Abraham, who is now 44 years old, said he knows the fans wanted him to win, but a win for Team Pharmaco is a win for him. “The whole team got to the front for the last few laps and I had to sacrifice (the win) because I don’t have it anymore. I know the people want to see me win, but once Team Pharmaco wins it is a win for me and that is what I did. I took Frank the entire last lap and I dropped him off when we were coming onto the Avenue Parkway and he just took it home,” Abraham said.

Abraham said Team Pharmaco wanted to win the Avenue event after his team had a disappointing showing at the 2018 Tobago International Cycling Classic, which ended on Sunday.

“Frank had some mechanical (issues in Tobago), other guys had mechanical (issues). It really took us out of the race, but we stuck in there.

We came down to Trinidad here on the avenue and we really wanted to win this one and we definitely got the job done,” Abraham said.

The night’s event programme included duathlon events for Primary and Secondary school students.

SELECTED RESULTS

Beacon 200m Sprint

1 Njisane Phillip (Rigtech Sonics)

2 Keron Bramble

3 Jabari Whiteman (PSL)

Lifestyle Motors Sprint Invitational

1 Jamol Eastmond (Heatwave)

2 Alberto Ramos (Pharmaco)

3 Wilmer Rodriguez (Raiders)

NLCB 15-lap Division Two

1 Enrique De Comarmond (Heatwave)

2 D’Angelo Harris (Rigtech Sonics)

3 Rodell Woods (PSL)

Beacon Main Event 30-lap

1 Frank Travieso (Pharmaco)

2 Jamol Eastmond (Heatwave)

3 Alberto Ramos (Pharmaco)

4 Adam Alexander (Raiders)

5 Akil Campbell (PSL)