TT finish seventh in team sprint

TT placed seventh in the Men’s Team Sprint event when day one of the Tissot International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cup pedaled off at Hong Kong Veldrome, China on Friday.

In the opening round, cyclists Njisane Phillip, Nicholas Paul and Keron Bramble qualified with the seventh fastest time (43.979 seconds) of the 16 contesting teams, with Netherlands (42.709) topping the field.

The trio then squared off against a fearless France team, led by nine-time world champion and 2008 Olympic Men’s Individual Sprint silver medallist, Gregory Bauge. TT clocked 43.966 while France (Bauge, Rayan Helal, Michael D’Almeida) advanced to semi-final stage with a quicker 43.360 performance.

In Saturday’s races, national Kwesi Browne begins his competitive campaign when he lines up in the Men’s Keirin. Browne will compete in heat four of six and will face the likes of UCI’s number six ranked Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands), Sandor Szalontay (Hungary), Nick Wammes (Canada) and Hersony Canelon (Venezuela) for a place in the second round. Additionally, Flying 2000-metre world record holder, Nicholas Paul, and two-time Olympic compatriot Phillip, hit the track on Sunday for the Men’s Individual Sprint qualification.

Following this leg of the World Cup, the team, which also comprises of Erin Hartwell (manager/coach), Elisha Greene (mechanic), Derek Ashby Williams (physical therapist) and Anil Manick (logistics administrator), travel to Cambridge, New Zealand, for the fourth leg of the World Cup series. One week later, they head to Brisbane, Australia, for the fifth and penultimate leg while the final stage pedals off in Milton, Canada, in January 2020.