The Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) has reaffirmed its decision to proceed with trials for the 2026 Pan American Track Cycling Championships on January 17, 2026, at the National Cycling Velodrome in Balmain, Couva. This announcement follows an emergency general council meeting held on November 17, convened to address concerns raised by two prominent cycling clubs, JLD Cycling Academy and Heatwave Cycling. The clubs, represented by attorney Emir Crowne, argued that the January 17 date violates the federation’s selection policy, which mandates trials to be held at least 12 weeks before international events. With the Pan American Championships scheduled for February 16-22 in Santiago, Chile, the latest permissible trial date would have been November 24. Despite these objections, TTCF president Rowena Williams confirmed the council’s decision to maintain the January 17 trials, emphasizing fairness to all cyclists. The clubs had proposed alternative selection methods, such as using objective and recent results, citing potential disruptions to international riders’ training schedules. Crowne highlighted the caliber of affected cyclists, including world-ranked athletes like Njisane Phillip, Alexi Ramirez, and Makaira Wallace, urging the federation to prioritize their preparation and satisfaction. While the TTCF acknowledged the concerns, it ultimately voted to proceed with the trials, inviting all cyclists to participate for national team selection.
Cycling federation votes in favour of January 17 Pan Am Track Champs trials
