The organisers of the fourth Jamaica International Cycling Classic are confident they will improve on last year’s staging of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) sanctioned road stages event.

The race gets underway this morning, starting and finishing at Whitter Village in Ironshore, St James.

Fourteen teams (double last year’s number) consisting of over 80 riders from 20 countries are down to take part in the three day race that will see riders going to Trelawny and back with the athlete with the fastest cumulative times over the three days winning.

Wilmar Andres Paredes Zapata and Team Medellin of Colombia will defend their title.

“We already have double the number of teams that took part last year and that shows the growth of the event and numbers of countries that will be represented,” Race Director Carlton Simmonds said.

The first stage will be over 122 kilometres, with the riders going over 114km on Saturday and 92km on Sunday.

Jamaica Cycling Federation President Wayne Palmer said the event will be a positive one for local cycling.

“This is a big boost [for] cycling in Jamaica,” he said at the media launch. “It puts Jamaica on the map as a destination for serious cycling competition. This is our fourth year running with the tour, and two years registered with UCI, and it has positioned Jamaica as a cycling destination, not just for recreational cyclists, but for the serious, competitive cycling.”