Tobago International Cycling Classic rides off tomorrow Twenty world renowned endurance cycling teams will begin their six-day journey throughout the scenic sister-isle today, as the 2014 edition of the annual Tobago International Cycling Classic (TICC) pedals off from 1.30pm. Among the 20, Trinidad and Tobago will be represented by Team Trek, Slipstream and Bike Smith. They will however, face an onslaught of global talent, as several International Cycling Union (UCI) continental teams and various other endurance enthusiasts have taken up this golden offer to elevate their world rankings through the TICC. Team Trek comprises of veteran road rider Gene “Geronimo” Samuel, who will only be taking part in the exclusive mountain bike race, his son Gevan Samuel, Linford Blackwood, Colin Wilson, Tyler Stewart (US) and two Germans. Slipstream’s squad will rely on the strengths of Jovian Gomez, Rudy Ashton, Marc Codrington and two other Austrians in Division One while Ronnie Moses, Kirk Hera and Jonah Camps contest Division Two. And finally, Bike Smith will be represented by Troy Nelson and Antiguans Jymes Bridges, Vincente Sanabria and Andre Simon. However, this year’s national time trial champion, Emile Abraham, will suit up for his Team Predator Carbon Repair club. He was expected to touch down in Trinidad yesterday with the rest of his US-based team. Local siblings, Adam and Joshua Alexander have also chosen to rep their American club, Team Foundation. Last year’s Classic winner, Darren Matthews, is expected to fly his nation’s colours, partnered with several other members of the Barbados national team. The visiting UCI continental teams are J. Jensen-Ramirent (Denmark), IG-Sigma Sport (UK) and NSP (Germany). Various foreign teams from Switzerland, USA, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Martinique and St Lucia among others, have also arrived in the sister-isle for this year’s Classic. Altogether, over 110 international and regional cyclists from 25 countries will participate. Having secured UCI-accreditation in 2011, the TICC is billed to be a keenly contested week of cycling events. Additionally, a new element to the 2013 race agenda is a series of Mountain Bike races. Tobago bike-tours operator, Sean De Freitas has mapped several off-road race courses which will take bikers through the scenic trails of Tobago’s rain forest, villages, waterfalls and clear streams. Also playing a major part towards the global promotion of the island’s sport tourism, international television giant ESPN, has once again come on-board to film the Classic. In 2012, the network carried a one-hour long programme of the race and destination Tobago to an estimated 100 million households across 200 cities around the world. The TICC’s opening ceremony pedals off at 9.30am today, at the Cycling Village Compound in Crown Point. This commences with opening remarks from race organiser Jeffrey Charles and a guest speaker from the Tobago House of Assembly Division of Tourism. At 1.30pm, the Division One and Two International Open pedals off along the course of Buccoo, Shirvan/ Carnbee Circuit race. The former comprises a 10-lap circuit which spans a distance of 120km while the latter is five laps at 60km. Tomorrow’s (stage two) events begins at 8.30am and will flow through My Irvine, Les Coteaux, Arnos Vale. Here, Division One riders will pedal a distance of 100km while Division Two measures 50km. On day-three (Thursday), the Classic will host a cycling parade to Scarborough, where the international riders will have a chance to meet the people of the sister-isle. They will then play host to the Pigeon Point Classic “Rum Punch” beach lime and picnic at the Pigeon Point Facility on the same day. Friday’s events will see the start of the Classic’s Mountain Bike Challenge from 8am-11 am. The course runs through the rain forest and does not carry an estimated length. All elite and sport mountain bikers are welcomed to this event. Stage Three of the Classic rides off on the same day with the Plymouth Criterium. This leg entails three divisions of riders who will pedal along the courses of 65km (Division One), 32km (Division Two) and 7km (Division Three). There will also be a special race for Division One and other invited cyclists for the Fast and Furious 1km International Road Keirin Sprint Heats. The following stage (five), hailed as the Market Square Criterium, will cater for the three divisions of riders with distances of 50km, 25km and 5km respectively. The finals of the Fast and Furious International Keirin Sprint event will also be conducted on this day. October 5 will also see the continuation of the Mountain Bike Challenge. This stage concludes with a Cool Down Lime at the Classic’s designated Village Compound and ends with a big-screen photo display of the four days of racing. TICC 2013 Division 1 International Teams 1. J. Jensen-Ramirent (Denmark, (UCI Continental); 2. IG-Sigma Sport (UK, UCI Continental); 3. NSP (Germany, UCI Continental), 4. Elite Team La Cyclo Neuchateloise (Switzerland); 5. Elite Team Merida Donaueschingen (Germany); 6. Elite Team Matrix (Germany); 7. Elite Team Rio Grande (USA); 8. Elite Team Predator (USA); 9. Elite Team Foundation (USA); 10 Team Cocos (USA); 11. Team PSL (Wells Services, USA); 12. Sainte-Anne Elite Cycling Team (Guadeloupe); 13. Team Madinina (Martinique); 14. Jamaica National Team; 15. St Lucia National Team; 16. Barbados National Team; 17. St. Vincent National Team; 18. Team Trek (TT); 19. Team Slipstream (TT); 20. Team Bike Smith (TT).
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 21:10:58 +0000
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