Nicholas Paul of Trinidad and Tobago in motion on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Aug. 8, 2021.
REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File
Regardless of being Trinidad and Tobago’s most completed bike owner on the World Observe Biking Championships, with two silver medals, bike owner Nicholas Paul desires extra. He hopes to grow to be a world champion.
His second-place finishes within the 1km time trial in 2021 and sprints in 2023 noticed him surpass former T&T cyclists Roger Gibbon and Gene “Geronimo” Samuel, who every earned a medal on the World Champs.
Paul is the one T&T bike owner to have captured two at this stage. Nevertheless, he stays fixated on climbing to the highest of the rostrum.
For 2025, Paul is concentrated on two primary occasions: the Pan American Observe Biking Championships from April 1-6 in Paraguay and the World Champs from October 22-26 in Chile.
For Pan Am, he will likely be defending his males’s dash and keirin titles for a 3rd consecutive yr.
“Worlds is likely one of the greatest occasions after the Olympic Video games. I all the time need to go on the market and put my greatest foot ahead. I’m nonetheless chasing the World Championships stripes. I would like to have the ability to put on the rainbow jersey, in order that’s one in every of my objectives all the time. Once I go on the market yearly it’s to attempt to win the rainbow jersey. It’s all the time my primary purpose,” Paul stated.
It’s simpler stated than carried out, Paul confirmed.
Paul is ranked fifth on the UCI’s particular person males’s elite dash rating, with Dutch speedster and five-time Olympic gold medalist Harrie Lavreysen within the high place. Mateusz Rudyk (Poland), Mikhail Yakovlev (Israel), and Cristian Ortega Fontalvo (Colombia) are second to fourth, respectively.
Paul stated, “There are a whole lot of international locations which are actually excessive within the sprints. The Dutch, French, and Englishmen—these guys are actually nice cyclists.
“However on the identical time, I believe I’ve developed myself to be one of many high cyclists as properly so it’s simply to go on the market and execute good racing.”
“As a result of on any given day, you possibly can get any rider (to race in opposition to), so you might have to have the ability to race in opposition to all of them as they get positioned in entrance of you. That’s why it’s vital to be as quick and as tactical as doable.”
When requested what it will imply for him to grow to be a world champion within the dash or keirin occasions, Paul stated it was one in every of his greatest desires.
“Yearly, I’ve to maintain placing within the exhausting work, go on the market, and attempt to obtain it. Nothing good comes simply. You must put within the work to attain what you need. I hope to attain success on the Worlds and Olympics every time it comes. I’ve been chasing it, and I’ve to maintain at it, making an attempt to get it carried out.”
He stated coaching continues to be world-class on the World Biking Centre in Aigle, Switzerland. Underneath the knowledgeable steering of coach Craig MacLean there, Paul is in good arms on his quest for glory.
