National Track Cycling Championships pedal off on Thursday

THE National Track Cycling Championships will be held at the National Cycling Centre, in Couva, from March 10-13 and 17-20.

Elite and junior cyclists chasing Commonwealth Games qualification will feature at the first leg of the championships, and tinymite, juvenile and masters hit the track in the latter stages.

This was confirmed on Tuesday as the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) released its revised 2022 calendar of events.

The National Track Cycling Championships will be the first official track meet at the venue since the pandemic hit in March 2020. Both legs will be used as qualifiers for the Commonwealth Games which get under way in Birmingham, England from July 28 to August 8.

Since the TT government recently relaxed its covid19 restrictions and allowed national sporting organisations to host domestic competition, with limitations, the TTCF has already hosted three road events.

Defending national men’s sprint and keirin champion Nicholas Paul is not expected to feature at the meet since he is currently training at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.

Additionally, multiple national sprint and keirin champion Njisane Phillip will also be a no-show since he officially retired from competitive cycling last month.

Local speedsters such as Quincy Alexander, Akil Campbell, Ryan D’Abreau and D’Angelo Harris will be present, among others, gunning for the available national titles.

The Easter Grand Prix makes a welcome return to the Arima Velodrome from April 15-17.

Four days later, the Pan American Road Championships pedal off in Uruguay.

Paul is expected to make his 2022 competitive debut at the UCI Nations Cup in Scotland from April 21-24. Another leg will be held in Milton, Canada from May 12-15.

And on May 28-29, the National Road Championships for tinymite, juvenile and masters begin, followed by the elite and junior cyclists’ leg on June 25 and 26.

Other major international events for the year are the Nations Cup (Cali, Colombia/July), UCI Junior Track Cycling Championships in Israel (August 16-20/August) and the Elite Track Cycling World Championships in France in October.