Makaira Wallace: 2025 is a learning year...transitions from junior to elite cyclist

TRANSITIONING junior to elite women’s cyclist Makaira Wallace is gearing up for a year of learning.

For 2025, Wallace, 18, rides away from junior level competition and pedals into the top flight.

She’s no stranger to elite-level racing on the local and regional circuit and has already gotten her feet wet in this division internationally, having competed at her maiden UCI class one event in Switzerland, two weeks ago.

She is, however, well aware of the challenges that lie ahead, but is openly welcoming and embracing the journey towards excelling in her craft.

Wallace’s 2024 season was her best yet, as she earned two silvers (500-metre time trial and sprint) and keirin bronze at the Pan Am Junior Champs, and two historic silver medals at the Junior World Track Cycling Championships in China in August.

Additionally, the Just Living Daily (JLD) Cycling Academy cyclist notched a new women’s open and junior women’s national record in the sprint, and also set a new national 500m time trial record.

Looking back on her past year, Wallace was elated, but accepting of the work required to elevate her game among the elites.

“It’s quite a big jump from juniors to elite. It was a great experience. I’m proud of what I did this year. I achieved all of my goals and that’s a great way to transition from junior to elite. I have a lot of work to put in for the elite division, but I’m happy with where I am right now.

“My goal for the past two years as a junior was to medal at Junior Worlds and it was nice to see that I could do that, at that level. It gave me a lot of confidence to go into this next chapter,” she said.

Wallace’s competitive exploits this year also saw the TT Cycling Federation award her their Most Outstanding International Cyclist (female) title.

She described 2025 as one to look forward to, where mistakes will be made and lessons learnt, competing among the world’s best sprinters.

“The main goal for this year is race experience, being under pressure constantly for racing, and being in that situation over and over again, I will get more confidence. As a performance goal, I’m looking at (bettering) times. There’s the Under-23 Pan Am Games and I want to medal there. I’d like to perform well at Pan Am Champs in April. Just getting into racing, international competition over and over again.”

After the April meet, Wallace is planning to visit Europe for six weeks to participate in UCI class one and two events to gain experience.

Her recent stint in Switzerland came on the heels of an intense six-week indoor and outdoor training camp in Colombia, where she was exposed to high-altitude training by coach and two-time TT Olympian Njisane Phillip, to help strengthen her breathing tactics. Long distance, outdoor riding also aided her physical strength and endurance.

On her first UCI class one experience, Wallace said, “I’m really happy with the knowledge gained. It was a good way to end off the year, getting to dip my toes in and see how the racing is with the elite women.

“Even though I have been racing elite women in the past for certain events like Pan Ams, I only race in my region at that level. So it was really nice to race against some of those elite riders (in Switzerland) to learn that style of riding.”

When asked how she copes with the pressures of being TT’s most talented and rising women's cyclist, Wallace said she hopes to continue properly balancing the rigours of elite cycling with her personal life.

“That pressure is good. I’m trying to not put that pressure on myself to perform. This year is about making mistakes and seeing where I can execute. I cope with the pressure well. Just having a game plan and executing is what I have to do. I’ve learnt that while it takes a lot of dedication and work physically, the mental is just as important. If your mind is not right on race day, even if you’re the fastest person there, it can go wrong. Just being in the right headspace, focused on the day, preparing for the race and visualizing, I think that’s my biggest takeaway from this year. I still have a lot to learn.”