Mexican Olympic cyclist Eder Frayre added to his victory in the Tobago International Cycling Classic (TICC) as he copped the 26-lap main event at the ninth edition of the popular Cycling on the Avenue in Woodbrook on Wednesday night.
The 31-year-old Frayre pipped American rider and 2022 TICC winner Jonathan Brown to the 2023 TICC crown on Sunday. On Wednesday night, Frayre was in a class of his own as he pulled away from a competitive field in the last few laps to cruise to victory on the avenue. The night’s main event was reduced from 30 to 26 laps owing to time constraints.
[caption id="attachment_1038784" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Boys under 8 run to their bicycles in a duathlon event at Cycling on The Avenue, Woodbrook on Wednesday night. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
The closing event had international and local talents at the starting line. TT’s 15-time road champion and TICC second runner-up Emile Abraham was one of the title hopefuls. TT endurance cyclist Akil Campbell was also in the 26-lap feature event, along with 2012 Olympic sprint semifinalist Njisane Phillip.
There was no stopping the Legion of Los Angeles cyclist Frayre though, as he tore up Ariapita Avenue to ride away with the $4,000 first prize. Raiders’ Adam Alexander emerged from a crowded pack to grab second place. The US pair of Garvin Hladly and Brown finished in third and fourth spot respectively. Campbell, who represented Heatwave, finished in seventh spot.
The division two race, which was a 15-lap event, was won by Raiders cyclist Daniel Azate, who also walked away with the prize for the best junior rider. Azate was closely followed in second position by his Raiders teammate Jadian Neaves. Evolution Academy’s Nathan Alexander finished in third spot and Guyanese rider Aaron Newton finished fourth.
US-based TT women’s pro rider Alexi Ramirez finished fifth overall in division two and was the first female cyclist to pedal over the line. Pharmaco’s Makaira Wallace, who represented TT at the World Junior Cycling Championships in August, finished second. Third-place went to her Pharmaco teammate Stephanie Clarke.
Raiders’ cyclist Aaron Dowridge won the division two prize for the best 40-and-over rider, with Heatwave’s Marc Ogiste winning the award in the 50-and-over category.
[caption id="attachment_1038781" align="alignnone" width="631"] Girls under-8 rider Ava-Sophia Garcia Lyder in her race on Cycling on The Avenue, on Wednesday night. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
The junior athletes weren’t left out of the action as supporters flooded the avenue to get a taste of the event which was returning after a four-year hiatus. The aspiring primary and secondary school athletes had their endurance and mettle tested in the challenging duathlon events which took the shape of a run-cycle-run format.
In the secondary school duathlon event (800m run, 2.6km bike, 800m run), Maple Leaf International’s Noah Teixeira won the boys’ 16-and-over category ahead of Debe Secondary’s Kevin Lewis. Ashlee Thomas won the girls’ 16-and-over duat
