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• Ride of a lifetime: Paul targets Paris Olympics medal to reaffirm T&T's cycling talent on world stage

  The rhythmic hum of wheels on the track, the exhilarating speed, and the fierce competition are nothing new to Nicholas Paul. Yet, as the Trinidad and Tobago cyclist prepares for a second-consecutive Olympic Games appearance, his excitement and determination are as fresh as ever.

  At 25, Paul has already cemented his place as one of Trinidad and Tobago's premier athletes, as his dazzling career –filled with challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to excellence –has been nothing short of remarkable.

  In fact, it is Paul’s relentless drive and unwavering passion that has brought him to this point where he not just races for medals, but more importantly, races to inspire a nation and leave a lasting legacy in the world of cycling.

  “To compete at the Olympics Games is the pinnacle of every sport and one of an athlete’s greatest dreams. So it is really an incredible honour for me to qualify to represent my country Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage once again. It's definitely a proud moment and a great milestone in my cycling career that I am looking forward to,” Paul told SportsMax.TV.

  

  “I firstly, always give thanks to God for the talents that he has given me, as well as my family, coaches, support staff, teammates and all my supporters for their support along my journey. It is the hard work, discipline and dedication combined with the assistance my support team that has attributed to my successes over the years and even now as I prepare to head to the Olympics,” he added.

  A series of unstoppable performances on the International Cycling Union (UCI) circuits in Canada and Germany, followed by a classy display at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, Paul's journey to the top has been marked by numerous milestones.

  He also won three medals –gold, silver and bronze –at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with another double medal-winning performance –gold and silver –coming at last year’s Pan American (PanAm) Games in Chile.

  For many, that would more than represent a successful cycling career, but for Paul, this is only the beginning. 

  Despite the many successes which showcased his exceptional, Paul still views his career as a work in progress, possibly because he is still hunting that one prize or moment to really define things and that is the Olympic Games medal.

  

  During his debut performance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Paul demonstrated his mettle by making the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint event, and while he missed out on a medal, his performance was a testament to his skill, speed, and resilience.

  Having taken those lessons to heart, Paul is now hoping to write the wrongs when he again graces the global multi-sport stage in Paris this summer.

  "The experience in Tokyo was invaluable. Competing against the best in the world always taught me so much about myself and so I’ve worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of my training and preparation,” Paul shared.

  “Whenever I compete and represent my country Trinidad and Tobago, I always want to win and put my best foot forward.  My mindset for this Olympic Games is the same as well, but it is all about targeting one race at a time,” he added.

  That said, the modest twin island republic cyclist pointed that his charge towards Olympic success will be a blend of physical conditioning, technical refinement, and mental fortitude.

  “The Olympic Games is the biggest goal scheduled on my calendar and so I have been working very hard on and off the bike preparing myself mentally and physically for the challenge at hand. My training has been going well and I'm looking forward to participating at the Games in the best form possible,” Paul declared.

  

  "The key is to stay disciplined and keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles come your way. Every race, every training session, is a step towards achieving my dreams, and like I said earlier, I’m grateful for the support of my coaches, my family, and my country – they motivate me to give my best every single day,” he noted.

  Looking ahead, Paul is determined to build on his past experiences and deliver a performance that will make his country proud. With eyes set on the podium, Paul embodies the spirit of perseverance and excellence that defines Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting legacy.

  “It’s just another set of races for me, I know I have been putting in the work, so I just have to believe in myself and execute to the best of my ability,” he said with an air of confidence.

  “My overall ambition is to continue putting Trinidad and Tobago on the map in search of that historic Olympic medal in the sport of cycling, as the aim is to let the entire world know that we are a small island but we have a lot of talent,” Paul ended.

• Cavendish makes Tour de France history with record stage victory

  Mark Cavendish made Tour de France history on Thursday as he won a sprint finish to take his 35th stage victory at the event.

  That saw Cavendish, who won four stages in the 2021 edition of the race, surpass the great Eddy Merckx as the outright record holder for stage wins in the Tour de France.

  Cavendish came out on top in a bunch sprint at the end of a 177.4km route from Saint Jean De Maurienne to Saint Vulbas.

  At 39, he became the second-oldest stage winner at the Tour de France, behind Pino Cerami, who was 41 when he won in 1963.

  "We just wanted to get the run-in to do it. I'm in a bit of disbelief," said Cavendish, who now rides for Astana Qazaqstan team and struggled to finish stage one last week.

  "It was a big gamble for my boss and the team. You have to go all-in and we have done it. We did exactly what we wanted to do.

  "Every little detail has been put towards specifically today. The Tour de France is bigger than cycling."

  Geraint Thomas, Cavendish's good friend and former team-mate, said: "It’s unbelievable I am super happy for him

  "To continue to do what he does at his age…at 39, everyone says you get slower when you get older but he has proved them wrong.

  "It is great he has the record alone and is not sharing it with anyone. I said 'mate if you win this stage just drop your bike and walk away' but 'he was like, if I win the first one, I'll want to win more,' so he’s definitely going to hang around isn’t he."

  Tadej Pogacar, who leads the general classification, quipped he cannot envisage himself taking Cavendish's slice of history.

  The two-time Tour de France champion said: "Incredible. A 35th victory for Mark. He came to me and said don’t break the record but I don’t think I can."

• JCF clears air after non-accredited cyclist, coach attend PanAm Junior Track Champs in Peru

  Jamaica Cycling Federation (JCF) has distanced itself from the actions of coach Arlington Reid and cyclist Xazivor Anthony Gayle, who it says breached protocols and attended the PanAm Junior Track Championships without proper authorisation.

  The Dr. Wayne Palmer-led JCF in clearing the air, revealed that they were notified by the PanAm Championship organisers on Thursday, that Gayle and Reid arrived in Lima, Peru to participate in the event, but were not accredited.

  Despite receiving a request from Reid, the JCF explained that it did not authorise the accreditation of a Jamaican delegation to participate, as Gayle did not meet the qualification standard.

  “On June 7, 2024, Mr. Reid made a request via email to the Board for Gayle to be considered for selection to participate in the championships based on his recent performance at the DPS event in Trinidad, despite not meeting the qualifying time standards," the JCF clarified in a release.

  “In response to this request, Mr. Reid was advised by email on June 9, 2024, that Gayle was not selected. On the same day, an email appealing the non-selection was sent to the board by Mr. Reid,” it added.

  The JCF pointed out that protocol of the sport’s world governing body, UCI, dictates that the national federation is the only authorising body that can accredit an individual, team, coach, or other support staff to a championship.

  As such, it said Reid’s action is a clear disregard for rules, which has now brought the local governing body into disrepute, as the PanAm organisers did not take the turn of events kindly, and have since escalated the matter to UCI.

  “The Jamaica Cycling Federation is disappointed in the actions and judgement of Mr. Reid, who went ahead and registered an athlete to participate in an event without proper authorization. His actions have caused embarrassment to the federation and have placed the federation in disrepute,” the statement noted.