Njisane, Wallace to race at UCI Nations Cup

A five-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent will compete at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Konya, Turkey, from March 14-16.

The squad includes two-time Olympian and JLD Cycling Academy coach Njisane Phillip, his student-cyclist and Nations Cup debutant Makaira Wallace, US-based pro road cyclist Alexi Costa-Ramirez, endurance rider Akil Campbell and sprinter Zion Pulido.

Phillip, Wallace and Pulido will participate in sprint events while Costa-Ramirez and Campbell vie for honours in the endurance category.

The UCI Track Nations Cup is a key event on the international track cycling calendar, attracting the world’s best riders and serving as a crucial opportunity for gaining valuable UCI points ahead of future international competitions.

A JLD Cycling Academy statement on March 10 confirmed the riders are already in Turkey putting in their pre-event work.

On Wallace’s debut at this level, JLD president Corinna Wallace said the Nations Cup is a milestone event for Makaira Wallace in her first year as an elite cyclist.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime. The Nations Cup is just one tier below the Olympics and World Championships in terms of competition and points. She worked very hard all of last year gathering elite points to be able to qualify. The experience and exposure gained from this international stage will undoubtedly contribute to her development as an elite athlete,” the JLD boss said.

Wallace aims to achieve personal best times and gain invaluable experience competing alongside the world's best track cyclists.

Wallace is currently ranked 47th in the elite women’s sprint category, and is the second-highest-ranked 19 year old behind 2024 junior world champion Stefany Cuadrado from Colombia.

Ace TT cyclist Nicholas Paul will not compete at the Nations Cup since he is preparing for the April 1-6 Elite Pan Am Track Cycling Championships in Paraguay.

At last year’s TT Cycling Federation annual awards, Paul and Wallace copped the top male and female cyclists of 2024 accolades.