Nicholas Paul finishes 6th in sprint Cycling Champions League

TRINIDAD and Tobago cyclist Nicholas Paul finished a creditable sixth in the men’s sprint league after the fourth and final round of the International Cycling Union Track Champions League at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, England, on Saturday.

The fifth and final round was scheduled for Israel on December 11, but it was cancelled because of the new covid19 variant omicron.

Paul ended sixth with 71 points and his training partner Jair Tjon En Fa of Suriname finished fifth, also with 71 points. The pair train alongside each other at the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland. Paul made his Olympic debut when he competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from July 23-August 8, 2021.

Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands won the sprint league with 147 points. The league included the world’s best cyclists with riders from all over the world. A total of 18 riders finished with at least ten points in the league.

In the men’s keirin event on Saturday, Paul missed out on a spot in the final after finishing third in heat three of round one. The top two cyclists in each of the three heats advanced to the final.

Colombian Kevin Quintero won heat three and En Fa was second.

In the final, German cyclist Stefan Botticher won the gold medal, Lavreysen claimed silver and Quintero took bronze.

In the men’s sprint, Paul won heat four in round one to book a place in the semifinals. Paul finished ahead of Quintero and Jordan Castle of New Zealand in the three-man race.

In the semifinals, Paul was second behind Lavreysen in heat one just missing a spot in the final. Only the first place finisher in each of the two heats progressed to the final.

In the two-man final, Lavreysen defeated Botticher to snatch gold.

Round one of the league was held in Mallorca, Spain on November 6 which was followed by round two on November 27 in Lithuania.

Round three was held at Lee Valley VeloPark in London, on Friday.