Beacon calls for CAC cycling probe

PRESIDENT of Team Beacon Cycling, Michael Phillips has written to the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) asking for an official inquiry into this country’s participation in the Match Sprint event at the recently concluded CAC Games in Puerto Rico.

Phillips made the plea at a press conference yesterday to honour Christopher Sellier and Njisane Phillip on their CAC Games accomplishments at Mike’s Bikes at the Corner of Aripita Avenue and O’Connor Street in Woodbrook.

Trinidad and Tobago’s only gold medal came from Phillip in the Match Sprint after Sellier — who was originally scheduled to ride with Azikiwe Kellar — gave up his spot.

The trio also combined in the Men’s Team Sprint where they earned a bronze medal.

Phillip was also introduced as the newest member of Team Beacon Cycling and received his official jersey and incentive cheques by Kristian Kong, manager of corporate communications at The Beacon.

He received $4,000 for the gold medal and $2,000 with Sellier for the bronze medal in the Team Sprint. Phillip then gave his $4,000 cheque to Sellier who convinced him to take his place in the Match Sprint after three cyclists were sent by the TTCF and only two could race.

He revealed that only one week before the tournament the management of the team approached the cyclist and put them in a room to decide who would race in the Match Sprint.

Phillip explained that a 250 metre time trial was proposed by coach Erin Hartwell but it did not materialise.

“The national team did a one-month training camp in Minnesota, USA, with three riders and I knew there were only spots for two. They were only beating around the bushes and you did not know what was going on and who was racing,” said Phillip yesterday. Phillip explained that he initially turned down Sellier’s offer but gave in eventually and it created much more pressure on him to perform. “Yes it was (more pressure) and I got gold and he did not. He could have raced and won gold and I could have gotten a silver. This put a lot of pressure on me and I knew I had to do something great,” said Phillip.

Sellier expressed his disappointment about not being able to ride in the Match Sprint and felt that the matter was poorly handled by the TTCF.

“I am disappointed in the federation and they should have stepped up and put the riders up front for the events,” said Sellier yesterday.

He added that poor handling of the matter by the TTCF resulted in the team underachieving and he hopes that such problems will not be repeated.

“This matter applied unnecessary pressure on the team. There is already pressure racing at events and this unnecessary pressure cost us medals” said Sellier.

In an previous interview with Newsday TTCF president, Robert Farrier stated that it was public knowledge that the National Championships was used to select the team. However, Sellier disagreed.

“The Federation did not state that the National Championships would be the qualifier.” He added that on many occasions the management was informed to move the National Championships since if followed closely after the Pan Am Games.

“I had to maintain my peak and I started to decline and I was not at my best for the CAC Games. Every year the national championships are held at a bad time,” said Sellier.

After reading Thursday’s article in the Express about what happened in the CAC games, what I need to understand is how this could happen. First off, Philip and Sellier are Pan Am Gold and Silver medalist so they should be automatic for the CAC Games. Njisane Philip and Christopher Sellier at the Pan Am both went inside 10.4 sec for 200m, and no other Trinidad cyclist can come close to these two riders.

What I want to know from the Federation is why they brought these 2 riders back within 15 days to ride a National Championship for selection for CAC Games, which is madness. The people who are responsible for forcing Christopher Sellier to ride for selection should be removed from the sport because it clearly shows that they have limited knowledge for the sport of cycling.

Christopher Sellier went 1:00.995, which is the fastest a Trinidad cyclist has ever travelled for 1 km. He did 10.17 in the flying 200m and finished 8^th in the sprints, and yet he still had to do a trial for CAC. Njisane Philip did 10.1 and got 2^nd in the sprints, and 4^th in the Keirin. What more these riders have to prove?

Njisane Philip competed very successfully for Trinidad starting in March, with wins at Southern Games and Gran prix. He lost his spot in the match sprints because he did not compete in the match sprint at the nationals, even though Philip, has a Pan Am silver medal in his hand from his 10.1time. Again, this is the fastest time for a Trinidadian in 200m.

The coach Erin Hartwell who was with the riders from Pan Am to CAC had no say in the selection for the sprints!!!! He knows which rider is going the best and he should pick the riders for the event, not the manager. That is not the manager’s role. The manager’s role is to have everything set up for the coach and his riders to come in and perform without stress, not add stress to the camp. The Racing Committee should have faith in the coach they hire and let him decide who does which event and support the coach’s decision.

When you have a rider starting the Team Sprint in 19.1 and riding 11.3 in the flying 200m, that is unacceptably slow, but I am sure the coach saw it in training. It sounds like the coach could not have done anything, because of the powers that be.

I really hope this injustice to Trinidad’s two top riders never happens again. It’s time to focus on the younger riders and help develop them for later on.