Over 175 local and international cyclists will assemble in Tobago for the 25th annual Tobago International Cycling Classic, which begins today with a 120km road race through Shirvan, Carnbee and Buccoo. Comprising of five events, the Classic will conclude on Sunday with a UCI-sanctioned Tour of Tobago (112km) which will take the riders throughout the island. It will mark the first time a race in T&T has been recognised by the UCI with the first eight finishers earning points to go towards their internationals, including 40 for the winner, 30 for second place and 16 to third. Prize money, 3100 euros, will also be on offer for the top 20 places.
Among the leading locals signed up are Emile Abraham (Team Vita Malt), Adam Alexander (Team Foundation), Guy Costa (Rafmon Mecalfab), Joshua Alexander (Rafmon Mecalfab) and Colin Wilson (Team Trek). They will be coming up against a field of over 60 foreigners including Canadian Michael Larsen, France’s Aurelian Passeron, Austrian Ricardo Zoidl, Cuban Maikel Matos, the Czech Republic’s David Cueli and German Timo Scholtz. A one-hour special on the Classic will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN International later this year.
TEAMS
TEAM VITA MALT: Emile Abraham (Trinidad and Tobago), Diego Garavito (Colombia), Serghei Tvetcov (Russia), Sebastian Cancio (Argentina), Daniel Asconeguy (Uruguay), Cesar Grajales (Columbia), Pete Williams (United Kingdom), Kristian House (United Kingdom)
TEAM RIO GRANDE (USA): Dylan E. Jones (USA), Chris Hillier (United Kingdom), John Gregory Phillips (USA), Scott Tietzel (USA), Trevor Connor (Canada), Adam Carr (USA), Spencer Smitherman (USA), Mathew O’Hagan (USA)
BQ CYCLING TEAM (GERMANY): Benjamin Joerges (Germany), Andreas Henig (Germany), Frank Udo Scherzinger (Germany), Felix Doring (Germany), Denis Bojarkin (Germany), Lukas Arnold Altenkamp (Germany), David Arno Bartel (Germany), Andreas Michael Feistel (Germany), Benjamin Stauder (Germany).
TEAM JANATEC (GERMANY): Timo Scholtz (Germany), Rick Ampler (Germany), Constantin Liebenow (Germany), Manuel Reich (Germany), Dirk Feist, Antti Sziko (Finland), Kristjan Beekmann (Finland)
TEAM 1% (CANADA): Jean-Michel Lachance (Canada), Etienne Samson (Canada), Louis Charles Lacroix (Canada), Jean-François Racine (Canada), Nils Penton (Sweden)
RC-GOURMETFEIN WELS (AUSTRIA): Werner “Ribi” Riebenbauer (Austria), Andreas “Prince” Graf (Austria), Riccardo “Bath-Keeper” Zoidl (Austria), Stefan Rabitsch (Austria), Jörg Thallhammer (Austria), Georg Tazreiter (Austria), Patrick “Koni” Konrad (Austria)
TEAM EXUSTAR: Michael Smith Larsen (Denmark), Nichlas Eberhardt Sorensen (Denmark), Henner Rodel (Germany), Tim Ottens (Netherlands), Atze Dijkhuis (Netherlands), Lang Reynolds (USA), Jonathan Teeter (USA), James Stout (United Kingdom)
SCHEDULE
Today
Opening Ceremony, Crown Point Hotel, 10 am
Race 1 (120km), Shirvan/Carnbee/Buccoo, 1.30 pm
Tomorrow
Race 2 (117km), Les Coteaux/Arnos Vale/Mt Marie; 7.30 am
Friday
Race 3 (50 Laps), Plymouth, 1 pm
Saturday
Race 4 (Criterium Race, 60 Laps) Market Square, Scarborough, 8.30 am
Sunday
Tour of Tobago (UCI 1.2 International Road Race); 9 am
Prize Presentation & Classic Grand Finale, Scarborough Espionade, 11.30 pm
Source: www.guardian.co.tt