MANAGER of Jamaica's cycling team to the 10-day Tour of Trinidad, Mavin Anderson, believes their five riders have "proven themselves to be very capable of achieving the goal that is set for them".

"Our aim is to take home the first-place spot in the overall placings, along with the top Caribbean rider and the best team prize," he declared.

Shaquille Sinclair, Peter Thompson, Thailer Hill, Orlando Ferguson, and Jason Briscoe, who left the island on Monday, will represent Jamaica at the Tour of Trinidad, being held to commemorate the island's 50th year of Independence.

"This is similar to Jamaica's 50th celebration and we would like to repeat our dominance in the event, as Jamaican Marloe Rodman won the Tour of Trinidad last year," he added.

Anderson said his role on this trip would be to manage and motivate the team "so that we can all maximize our efforts in keeping our country's name on top in the sporting arena".

Jamaica will begin competing in the tour tomorrow at Stage Two, a 15 km Team Time Trial for four cyclists per team. Stage One is a tribute ride, not part of the tour, and is not compulsory for foreign cyclists.

Stage Three will also take place tomorrow and it is a circuit race that will be one hour and 30 minutes long.

On Friday, the Tour will move into Stage Four, also a circuit race for one hour and 30 minutes.

Cyclists will crank up for Stage Five on Saturday, a 104-km road race and another road race on Sunday when the tour grinds into Stage Six for the 90-km event.

Rest Day will be on August 27, with Stage Seven on the 28th for another circuit race — this time in Tobago for one hour and 30 minutes. Tobago will also host Stage Eight to put riders through a 120-km road race next Wednesday.

Stage Nine, a one-hour circuit race, will get into action next Thursday and Stage 10, a 112-km road race, will highlight competition on August 31, which is the twin-island republic's Independence Day.

The final two stages, 11 and 12, will get underway on Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2, with road races each 96-km long.

Apart from the five cyclists, three other Jamaicans will take part in the competition riding for Trinidad teams — namely Rodman, Oniel Samuels, and Linford Blackwood.

President of the Jamaica Cycling Federation Edward Harper said: "The primary goal of the Tour of Trinidad, aside from development and experience for the riders, is to assist with the preparation for the Caribbean Cycling Championships in October this year."