Photo: Calixto N. Llanes
Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- Cuban cyclists bid farewell to the year 2022 with the satisfaction of having secured full qualification for the Central American and Caribbean Games of San Salvador 2023.
They won 25 slots: nine in each gender in track, six in road (4F and 2M) and one in mountain biking (f). However, by regulation, each country can present a maximum of 10 men and an equal number of women. However, one rider may register for the road events.
Cuba has riders who could compete in the velodrome and the road during San Salvador 2023, namely in the team pursuit, the madison (relay), the omnium (four group events), the individual time trial and the road.
The rest of the events correspond to the sprinters in the shorter distances: the individual and team 200 meters, and the keirin, in which those from the Island also secured spaces.
Arlenis Sierra, from Manzanillo, won her third Pan American championship crown during the edition held in San Juan, Argentina. She had previously triumphed in 2014 and 2018, and harvested silver medals in 2015 and 2016.
Since 2017 contracted to European clubs, Sierra had a dream season with Movistar, Spanish team with the highest women's road category of the International Cycling Union. She more than fulfilled the privilege of being a teammate of Olympic and world titleholder Annemiek van Vleuten.
Her achievements deserved the votes to include her again among the most outstanding Cuban athletes and to lead among those hired abroad.
Another relevant fact were the gold and bronze medals won by Yumurian Claudia Baró in the road and time trial during the Caribbean championship held in Santo Domingo. The triumph was enough to give Cuba the first and only ticket so far to the Pan American Games of Santiago 2023.
Aylena finished fourth in the solo race and champion among the U-23 women. Holguin's Evelyn Diaz and Alejandro Parra finished sixth in the women's and men's road race, respectively.
The only one classified to San Salvador 2023 in mountain bike (MTB) is the capital's Ludisnelis Fleitas, under 23 years old, who won the silver medal in the 20 kilometers of the elite category during the Caribbean championship held in the Dominican capital. Cuba is waiting for the possibility of a wild card in this modality.
The National Cycling Commission valued as positive the impact of the tour in the eastern region; the work of the provinces of Havana, Matanzas and Sancti Spíritus, as well as the work in the territory of Mayabeque. He also highlighted the celebration for the first time of the Cuban MTB championship and the school and youth games with three new records on the track, two of those in the latter category, in which the reserve of the national teams is concentrated.
The cycling family will start next year focused on the preparation for the Pan American road and track races, qualifiers for the continental games of Santiago 2023. (Source: Jit)
