For Carlton Simmonds, the man behind the Jamaica International Cycling Classic, this year’s instalment of the event is geared towards providing international opportunities for local riders and increase the interest around a sport that has delivered success at every level for the island.

Now in its third year, the Classic which for the first time is accredited by the sport’s global governing body, the International Cycling Union, will offer qualification points to major international events such as the Olympic Games, the PanAmerican Games, and the Commonwealth Games for race and stage winners.

Simmonds, a former national representative and coach, believes that the international cycling event will bring added attention to Jamaica as a sport tourism destination and shared that the event’s international accreditation has added significant interest from around the world with over 50 cyclists expected to compete.

“Once it’s posted on the International cycling calendar, you will get international teams gravitating to want to come to Jamaica, not just to use it as an event to garner points but also to use the event as a benchmark for the early season preparation,” Simmonds told the
Jamaica Observer.

Among the competing teams will be South America’s top-ranked unit out of Colombia as well as the 706 Project outfit, based in Atlanta. The event will also see participation from composite teams featuring riders from the region in addition to several Jamaican groups.

The stages will unfold along Jamaica’s north coast with the start and finish for each stage taking place at Whitter Village in Montego Bay.

Stage One will see riders covering approximately 56 miles with a course that will see them heading towards Falmouth before looping at the Rose Hall Great House and heading back to the Trelawny capital before closing out Whitter Village.

The second stage will take riders from Whitter Village to Discovery Bay and back with the third stage runs from Whitter Village to Duncan’s, Trelawny and back for a combined 320 miles.

Over US$11,000 will be on offer with a maximum top prize of US$3,100 up for grabs.

Simmonds is pleased that the event will continue to showcase the natural beauty of the island while providing a strong challenge for elite-level competitors. The veteran cyclist is also hoping that the growth of the sport will be positively affected through the staging of the event.

“It’s disheartening to see where the sport is now because when you look at the sport, we have medalled at every level — from the Caribbean level, straight up to the Olympic level. It’s one of the few sports that have been able to achieve that and with that achievement, the sport for me has not grown; it’s like it has taken a back seat. So I think an event of this nature will create that ambiance back in the space where our youngsters can see it and want to be a part of it and I think that will help to grow the sport and develop the sport in the country,” said Simmonds.

The Jamaica International Cycling Classic is being executed by the Simmonds High Velocity Cycling Club, which, as Simmonds explained, was created with the primary purpose of providing opportunities for local riders — something he is confident of being achieved with the staging of the Classic.

“The club was founded in 2017 and the idea behind the club was how do we get to support our locals, with the idea of managing, coaching and exposing them to the end result of the Olympic Games because when you look at it the mammoth task, that the federation has with limited amount of funding, it won’t be able to support a lot of our riders with talent,” Simmonds reasoned.

“We didn’t want to see any talent out there fall through the cracks, so the club was formed around that and we are pleased in what we have done so far. I mean, the Classic started two years ago and before that, we hosted a lot of local road events and a lot of recreational type of events to incorporate all areas of the sport,” he added.