By Carlena Knight
As the world reminisces on the final moments of the Olympics Games, several of the top cyclists hailing from Antigua and will be hoping to bring home some silverware in two regional competitions.
National road champion Emanual Gayral, youngster, Ghere Coates and veteran riders Conroy Thomas and Jeffrey Kelsick, will be flying the country’s flag.
The cyclists will compete in the Dominican Republic at the Caribbean Cycling Championships and Pan Am Championships.
Missing from the contingent will be the former national champion and US-based rider Conor Delanbanque who will not be able to attend due to some travel issues.
There is also no female representation this time around as the reigning female champion Vanessa Kelsick opted out of competing.
Vanessa, who won the women’s division of the Individual Road Race during the National Championships held in June, and veteran Robert Marsh who won the elite division of the Individual Time Trial, both declined to travel for varying reasons.
Accompanying the team will be officials Derrick Sutherland, Cleofoster Harris and Mervin Gore.
The Caribbean championships were originally slated for June 11-13 in Cuba, but was then moved to the Dominican Republic with a new date of July 11-13, before being moved to August 12th-15th.
Two of the cyclists, Emanual Gayral and Conroy Thomas, left the country yesterday.
The other cyclists are set to depart in the upcoming days.