Colombia's Mateo Garcia beats Tobago Classic champ on the avenue

MATEO Garcia demonstrated his sprinting prowess to defeat Tobago International Cycling Classic champion Eder Fraye and win the main event at the Cycling on the Avenue event at Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook, Port of Spain on October 9.

Scores of people lined the avenue, despite rain, to witness the exciting race action, which also included a duathlon for junior athletes. The event was dedicated to former cycling announcer Ronald Dickie Jnr, who died at the end of 2023.

The cyclists were flying around the 1.3k course, as in the early stages of the race the riders were completing a lap in approximately one minute and 46 seconds.

It was a two-man race between Colombian Garcia and Mexican Fraye with less than ten laps left in the 30-lap race. The rest of the 30-man field were bunched together in a battle for third place.

When Garcia and Fraye turned from Maraval Parkway onto Ariapita Avenue for the final 150-metre sprint, everybody was leaning over the barricades to see who would win the main event.

In the end, Garcia's speed was too much as he held off the challenge from Fraye.

Finishing in third spot was American Lucas Bourgoyne of Team Pharmaco, TT's Tarik Woods of Evolution Academy finished fourth and former national cyclist Adam Alexander of Raiders rounded off the top five.

Earlier in the race, it was competitive as many lap prizes were up for grabs, sponsored by local businesses. The lap prizes ranged from $500-$1,000.

Speaking through a translator, Garcia of Raiders said, "I am using this event as part of my preparation for a race in Colombia."

Fraye said the aim was to give one of his Heatwave teammates the opportunity to win.

"Today, I did not have a plan to win myself. I wanted someone from my team to win."

Before the main event, division two cyclists participated in a 15-lap race.

TT junior cyclist Jadian Neaves, representing Raiders, dominated the event. He opened up a massive 60-second lead on the rest of the field with three laps to go and never looked back.

Heatwave's Xavi Wadilie of Suriname took second place and TT women's cyclist Alexi Ramirez of Blazers ended third.

The sprinters were also on show, competing in a one-lap race. American Caleb Langrebe, representing local club JLD Cycling Academy, ended first. Former TT cycling star Njisane Phillip proved he can still race at a high level, finishing second for JLD, and Nathan Alexander of Evolution was third.

Fatima College, St Joseph's Convent (Port of Spain) and St Andrew's Private School starred in the schools duathlon races, where the athletes must run and ride. Lillie-Belle Balkissoon (St Andrew's), Jacob Alleyne (St Andrew's), Leah de Freitas (St Joseph's Convent) and Alexander Farnum (Fatima) were some of the winners.

Melina Lopez of Pleasantville Secondary did not have the best outing, but showed heart by completing the event. She stopped more than once to throw up, but rebounded to complete the race with some encouragement from her mother.

RESULTS

Duathlon

Eight-and-Under girls

Abbygail Titte – Clark Rohard Government

Ava Uder – Dunross Preparatory

Kaitlyn Sodnanan –Dunross Preparatory

Eight-and-Under boys

Riley Walker –St Andrew's

Ryan Sheppard – San Fernando Boys'

Tyler Title – Penal Government Primary

Nine-ten girls

Lillie-Belle Balkissoon – St Andrew's

Skyla Lee Loo – Sacred Hearts Girls' RC

Eden Rose Rampharay – Unattached

Nine-ten boys

Jacob Alleyne – St Andrews

Jahleel Jacob – San Fernando Boys

Gabriel Bodoo – Unattached

11+ girls

Charlotte Scott – Corner Stone Academy

Mia Ballantyne – St Gabriel’s Girls' RC

Lilliana Aleong – Dunross Preparatory

11+ boys

Marcus Singh – Giants

Liam Ince – St Andrew's

Reon Sheppard – San Fernando Boys'

13+ girls

Leah de Freitas – St Joseph's Convent

Hailey Jose – St Joseph's Convent

Zara Wellington – Holy Name Convent

13+ boys

Alexander Farnum – Fatima College

Jose Solimar – International School of Port of Spain

Alex Wortman – Fatima College

14-15 girls

Kylee Young – St Joseph’s College

Ella Young – St Joseph's Convent

Gianna Pichery – Holy Name Convent

14-15 boys

Benjamin Carmino – Fatima College

Pierce Dalton-Brown – Trimont College

Karlon Brown – Trinity College East

16 – 19 girls

Alexia Pouthie – St Joseph's Convent

Arya Siewrattan –St Joseph's Convent

Sophia Samaroo – St Joseph's Convent

16-19 boys

Liam D’Abadie – Fatima College

Dante Pichery – Unattached

Kayden Siewrattan – Fatima College

Cycling

Division two 15-lap

Jadian Neaves – Raiders – TT

Xavi Wadilie – Heatwave – Suriname

Alexi Ramirez – Blazers – TT

Women's division two 15-lap

Alexi Ramirez – Mia Blazers – TT

Sprint invitational and international one-lap

Caleb Langrebe – JLD Academy – USA

Njisane Phillip – JLD Cycling Academy – TT

Nathan Alexander – Evolution Academy – TT

Main event 30-lap open

Mateo Garcia - Raiders

Eder Fraye - Heatwave - Mexico

Lucas Bourgoyne - Pharmaco - USA

Tarik Woods - Evolution Academy - TT

Adam Alexander - Raiders - TT

Top 40+

Colin Wilson – Braves – TT

Top junior

Jaiden Neaves – Raiders – TT