Move over Run Barbados, you may soon have company.
Ride Barbados is now the Barbados Cycling Union’s (BCU) newest dream.
Cash-strapped and still having to send out its elite athletes on a 43-year-old outdated cycling track at the National Stadium, the union has its eyes peeled when it comes to finding new ways to bring in revenue.
President Keith Yearwood is hoping the first Ride Barbados is a start, once corporate Barbados buys in, and the inaugural event could be held in 2015 if everything goes well.
Yearwood revealed in a recent exclusive interview that the union wants to introduce Ride Barbados, where riders would be invited mainly from around the Caribbean, but also from international countries, to compete over a weekend in three separate events.
The event would comprise of a long-distance road race, a criterium, and a night of track action at the Randolph Field Velodrome of the National Stadium over three days.
“We have to come up with ideas that keep cycling alive. We want events of a particular standard that will bring fans back so we can earn revenue. Once we do that, finding sponsors should not be a problem in the future. There is already regional interest, and once a meet of a high standard is held, then riders from larger countries would show interest,” Yearwood told the WEEKEND NATION.
The president said Caribbean cyclists were slowly coming back to Barbados to compete, as seen by teams from St Vincent and the Grenadines taking part in four road events for 2014, and such interest could peak once Ride Barbados became a reality.
At the moment, neighbours Trinidad attract the cream of the region’s cycling crop (including Barbadian riders), with two major events: the Trinidad Grand Prix and the Njisane Phillips Classic.
According to Yearwood, international riders have become quite accustomed to wooden 250-metre tracks which are now the standard, but that once Barbados puts on a good show, quality athletes would still come here to compete on the 500-metre velodrome.
The union had intended to stage an international track meet next month, but was forced to cancel it, after repairs of broken up areas of cement on the velodrome were delayed.
Yearwood said that once organised, Ride Barbados would attract riders from St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and even Martinique.
“Once we have the track repairs and we know it will stand up to heavy use, we can start putting things in place to have the event,” Yearwood noted.
The BCU chief said such international events could also assist in giving Barbadian cyclists the much-needed opportunity to ride against high-quality opponents, which could augur well for aspiring riders such as Darren Matthews, currently the island’s most heralded cyclist, and the up-and-coming road specialist Russell Elcock.
