$100,000 race the main feature of Elevation Cycling Club year-end meet

The money on offer is considered the largest single cash incentive in the history of local club cycling with majority of the country’s top riders to be on show.

Second placed will pocket $70,000, third $50,000, fourth $40,000 and fifth $30,000, making it also the largest purse for a single cycling race at least at this level.

Elite riders Jerome Forrest and Barenton Bailey, the reigning and former national senior champions respectively, will carry the flag for the host club.

But Andrew Ramsay of AVR Cycling who defeated both men to capture top honours when they last clashed back in August at the same venue, will be gunning to repeat his scintillating performance.

Intense Cycling Club’s Shaquille Sinclair and Bradley McFarlane of McForce had finished behind Ramsay, and both riders should be in the mix for an exciting climax come the end of the 40th and final loop of the 0.9 mile course.

Head coach of Elevation Cycling Club Orwyn Richmond says the riders, which also include top juniors Jaequan Dixon and Peter Robinson, have been training hard for this season’s finale.

“Barring any mechanical problems we do have a solid team put forward here to compete for this final event,” said Richmond.

A real battle is anticipated between clubmates Dixon and Robinson after the latter won his first major club race over his close friend, who had to settle for third at the August meet.

Dixon, 17, was battling the flu during that time but is back to full fitness and is looking to make amends and reclaim his status as the top junior.

Riders will battle for top honours in 10 other categories with plenty of excitement to come from the masters, super masters, all comers and kids’ race.

The top three finishers in all other categories will each receive cash incentives and a trophy from a total purse of approximately $500,000.

The first race is scheduled to get underway at 8:00 am, with final registration for all riders commencing at 7:00 am.

Club president Velana Creary says she’s looking forward to an exciting end to their season.

“I’m really looking forward to some clean, fun and fierce competition in all the categories and from all the riders,” she tells Old Harbour News. “This will be our fourth race meet of the year and we want to finish the year with a bang.

“The Portmore circuit is a fantastic opportunity to build our brand and grow the sport of cycling in the community; and it is our hope that after this we will get some sponsorship to come on board and become part of our journey as a developing cycling club to help more of our youth and improve the social fabric and quality of life in our society.”

Creary also informed that the event will be streamed live, another first for the club and local cycling.

“We have established a partnership with our community-based media Old Harbour News and they have put forward this wonderful idea to stream this meet live. If we are serious about elevating our club we have to utilise the technology available so sponsors can see the rich potential of our brand and the partnerships that can be established of mutual benefit.”

Established in 2021, the Elevation Cycling Club has made hosting development races one of its primary objectives to grow and improve the quality of its talent, while fostering community engagement and social cohesion among people of like minds.

Since inception the Elevation Cycling Club has organized more than 15 development races.

The event is supported by the Pollyanna Project, First Stop Hardware, A Wheel a Day, and Dilli Cycle World.