By Neto Baptiste
The Antigua and Barbuda Cycling Federation (ABCF) will open its 2022 season with an individual time trial on February 20 on the roads surrounding the Pan Am Base in Coolidge.
This was revealed by president, St Clair Williams, who said cyclists are looking forward to competing for the first time since September last year.
“It should be a 4.5 mile loop and we are looking to do about two laps of that at the elite level and probably at the junior level we are looking at about one lap so we are hoping to do an individual time trial,” he said.
Williams revealed that cyclists face a packed 2022 season with 21 scheduled events, five of which will be regional and international races.
“The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England [July 28 to August 8] but early next month we are going over to Aruba and that is a club invitational, so the clubs will respond to that if they so desire so we give them the opportunity to send any of their athletes to that race in Aruba. It’s a three stage race which will take from the 4-6 of March,” he said.
“The next race we are looking at overseas will be the Caribbean Games and that will take place in Guadeloupe from the 29th of June to the 3rd of July. We have the John T Memorial and that’s the 17th of July and then the Commonwealth Games will come right after the John T race,” he added.
As for the safety of the athletes on the road, Williams said the body is in constant contact with the Public Works Department and are updated daily regarding road repairs.
“Our cyclists are out there riding the roads every day and in addition to that we are also in communication with the Ministry of Works and their team where we have all the information they put out, where they are going to be doing works, what type of work they are going to be doing so that we are abreast of if they are going to be closing off roads and stuff like that. We have been on zoom meetings with them so that we are stakeholders in terms of persons utilising the roadways so we are pretty much in the know with respect of what is happening on the roads,” the cycling boss said.
Registration for next Sunday’s individual time trial is ongoing.