After an introduction to the track athletes training at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle (Switzerland), we talk to two who overcame hurdles todominate some of the world’s best at the third and final round of the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup.
At the last round of the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup in Cali, Nicholas Paul (TTO) was racing for the first time after breaking his collarbone in April. Representing Thailand, his fellow trainee, Jai Angsuthasawit, wanted to put his disappointing performances from the Asian Championships a few weeks earlier behind him.
Both overcame any anxiety they may have had, finding themselves next to each other on the keirin podium in the Colombian city – 1st for Paul and 2nd for Angsuthasawit. Some of the biggest names in international track sprinting were behind them.
“I didn’t really have any idea of the good shape I was in because coming off the injury the whole focus for Cali was to get confidence back for racing,” explains Nicholas Paul, who had broken his collarbone at the first round of the UCI Track Nations Cup, in Glasgow (Great Britain). “I tried not to think about it (crashing again in Cali) but it was always in the back of my head. But if you always keep that in your head you’d never want to race again. My love and passion for cycling overrides the fear. After two or three rounds of racing in Cali I was back to normal.”
The next day, the 23-year-old went on to win the sprint final in two straight rides from 2020 Olympic Champion in the speciality Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen. (For the records, another UCI WCC trainee Jaïr Tjon En Fa, from Suriname, got a top-10 result - 9th -, after his 11th place in the keirin). With 4th place in the kilo after riding a controlled final, Nicholas Paul comes away from Cali in a positive frame of mind and with special memories of the one-two keirin podium.
“We train hard together, and after all the stress we go through together, to be able to be on the podium with Jai was a great moment.”
For Jai Angsuthasawit, it was his first medal at this level of competition and all the sweeter given he had not managed to achieve his goals at the Asian Championships in New Delhi (India) the previous month.
“After the Asian Champs I had to reset mentally. And quickly. I was doubting myself going into Cali, even though I wanted to be positive. After coming 2nd to Nico in the first round of the keirin, I realized I had the legs and I made sure I got to the finals with them.
“It’s cool to be on the podium together. We see each other go through all our pain and training every day and it’s nice to see that paying off for both of us,” says Angsuthasawit, who also celebrated a personal best in the Flying 200 metres, finally dipping under the 10-second barrier.
Although UCI WCC track coach Craig Maclean almost lost his voice screaming encouragement at the two during the keirin, he is not particularly surprised by their performances: “Both of them put pressure on themselves before Cali. Nico’s crash in Glasgow was his own fault so he wanted to prove something and put that behind him. And Jai felt the pressure to qualify for the Worlds. Even though they’re never complacent, having that pressure can lead to a good performance.
“All credit to them for performing when they really needed to.”
Their coach is particularly pleased that the Thai athlete has broken the 10 second barrier for the Flying 200m: “Physically, he’s been capable of it for a long time, and he’s even gone faster than that in the keirin. But it’s different when you’re up there on your own and you have to dig deep enough to bring out that solo performance. Now he’s achieved it!”
Concerning Nicholas Paul, the coach says he worked hard on his rehabilitation and that the alternative methods of training had obviously worked in his favour: “First of all, being deprived of riding increases the hunger. Then, in dire situations you can find workarounds that you didn’t use before. It worked!”
Nicholas Paul will be racing again in London at the Commonwealth Games in two weeks’ time, while Jai Angsuthasawit has other events lined up in August following the postponement of the Asian Games. The three remaining members of the UCI WCC track team also have major competitions next month: the Pan American Track Cycling Championships in San Luis, Lima (Peru) for Jaïr Tjon En Fa, and the UEC European Championships in Munich (Germany) for Miriam Vece (ITA) and Orla Walsh (IRL).