The tight-knit local cycling community of Trinidad and Tobago is reeling from an unimaginable loss, after a freak accident claimed the life of 44-year-old fan-favorite competitor Colin Wilson during an opening-night race at the Easter International Cycling Grand Prix.
Better known to friends and teammates by his nickname “Creepy,” Wilson, a resident of Carenage, suffered a fatal neck injury when he crashed into a section of fencing while swerving to avoid a collision with another cyclist. The accident unfolded during the Masters 40-49 category race held Friday at San Fernando’s Skinner Park. Despite urgent, hour-long emergency intervention by medical teams at San Fernando General Hospital, the extent of Wilson’s injuries and massive blood loss proved too severe to save him. Organizers immediately canceled the remainder of the evening’s competition schedule in the wake of the tragedy.
For former national cycling star Gene Samuel, who founded the cycling club Wilson raced for and employed him at his Woodbrook bicycle shop for 26 years, Wilson was far more than an employee or a team member. “He was like an adopted son to my wife Rhonda Lou and I,” Samuel said, his voice breaking with emotion as he described the widespread shock and grief that has followed the accident. Samuel was just finishing distributing awards to earlier race winners when the crash happened. “Everybody is devastated. It’s still hard to process, we can’t believe he’s gone,” he added.
Over a quarter-century working alongside the Samuels, Wilson became an irreplaceable part of their family and business, with customers stopping by the shop in recent days to offer their condolences. As he works to support Wilson’s widow and three young sons, Samuel said the community is pulling together to provide any assistance the family needs during this impossible time. A decorated endurance rider, Wilson claimed a historic national championship Triple Crown, winning the road race, criterium, and time trial titles in a single season. What stands out most to those who knew him, however, is his constant willingness to help others and the warm charisma that made him popular across the sport. “He touched so many lives, and this loss is felt by everyone who knew him,” Samuel said. “I know he died doing what he loved more than anything.”
Official statements from across the country’s sporting sphere have poured in honoring Wilson’s legacy and extending condolences to his family. The Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) emphasized that Wilson was a deeply valued member of the national cycling fraternity whose presence will be sorely missed. “This tragic loss has deeply affected the entire local cycling community,” the federation said. “We stand in full solidarity with his family during this devastating time.”
Minister of Sport Phillip Watts echoed that sentiment, paying tribute to Wilson’s relentless passion for cycling and unwavering commitment to athletic excellence. “This is a profound loss for our entire sporting community, and my heart goes out to all of his loved ones,” Watts said.
Despite the collective trauma of the accident, event organizers confirmed that the remainder of the Easter International Cycling Grand Prix would proceed as scheduled, continuing with international competitions including the Caribbean Track Championships and the Americas Track Cup series at the National Cycling Velodrome in Couva. Kester Lendor, board chairman of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT), noted that the event will continue in a spirit of respect for Wilson’s legacy, while organizers prioritize full transparency and athlete safety going forward. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss, and our thoughts remain with Mr. Wilson’s family, friends, and the entire cycling community,” Lendor said. “SporTT is committed to working closely with all stakeholders to fully understand the circumstances of this incident, while keeping the safety and well-being of all athletes, officials, and attendees our top priority.”
The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee also extended its condolences, noting Wilson was also a widely respected bicycle mechanic and technician within the sport, and closed its statement with a simple wish: “May he forever Rest in Peace.”
International competitors also shared their memories of Wilson, with top Barbadian cyclist Gregory Downie remembering him as both a passionate, formidable competitor on the track and a man of extraordinary humility and kindness off of it, who embodied the camaraderie that binds the global cycling community together. “His accident is a painful reminder of the vulnerability we all share and the risks inherent in our beloved sport. It calls us to be ever mindful of one another and to live by the principle of being our brother’s keeper,” Downie wrote.