Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's Oneil Samuels celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men's scratch cycling competition at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia in July. - Reuters
With the absence of the high-powered cycles at this year's 'Independence of Speed' race meet at the Dover Raceway, St. Ann, more than 20 of the country's finest pedal cyclists will clash at the Independence Day showdown, today.
Among them will be the Portland-based Oneil Samuels, who recently won a gold medal at the Caribbean and Central American games in Colombia.
"It should be an exciting day of racing," president of the Jamaica Cycling Association, Vaughn Phang, told The Gleaner yesterday.
The cyclists will also use today's race meet to prepare for the national championships later this month, and the Caribbean Championships in October. According to Phang, cycling is scheduled to return to the National Stadium later this year.
Challenged
Undoubtedly one of the most talented of the local crop of riders, Samuels, who has won several races at Dover in the past, is expected to again dominate the events. He should be challenged by Alden Clunes, Tinga Turner and Raydean Lawson from Montego Bay.
The teenage Clunes, who hails from the tiny district of Above Rocks, St. Andrew, recently upstaged an international field by winning the BRADA Sandals Tour - a four-day stage race, like a mini Tour De France, held in Jamaica from June 22-25.
Over the years, Jamaica have done well at the international level. In 1980 David Weller made the country proud when he won a bronze medal at the Moscow Olympics. Then Jan Jardine in September 2000 won gold in the match sprint, bronze in the time trial and bronze in the Olympic Sprint at the UCI World Masters Cycling Championship in Manchester, England.
Jan Jardine (son of Hilary Jardine of motor racing fame) also represented Jamaica at the 1971 Pan-Am Games in Columbia as well as in Barbados.
