The St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union has received a lift, with the donation of 10 “giant” bikes, compliments the Pan American Cycling Federation.{{more}}

Eight of the bikes were handed over to cyclists last Monday.

Among the eight were two females – Lisa Gaymes and Ariel Durrant.

The other six were Kadmiel Peters, Casnell Duncan, Shurwayne James, Quasim Thomas, Samuel Lyttle, and Bradley Charles.

And, with the union’s aim to get more females to saddle up, the donation is timely, according to Trevor Bailey, who is the vice-president of the Pan American Cycling Federation and president of the local cycling union.

“We plan to focus on female cyclists this year … We have only had two ladies riding for the past few months and we will have two other young ladies who will be participating in races soon,” Bailey said at last Monday’s handing over, held at the Xpert Computer Centre’s conference room.

Bailey hastened to add that the eight holders of the bikes must also meet their end of the bargain.

“We are going to be very, very strict …You have to bring in the bikes every three months … If we notice that you are not using the bikes for races and training, we are going to take back the bikes,” Bailey confirmed.

He noted that the each of the bikes costs about EC$4,000, hence the need to have conditions for the holders and the local Cycling Union.

The Pan American Cycling Federation VP revealed that the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union was able to obtain duty free concessions from the Government. Bailey revealed that his local executive would be the custodian of the other two bikes, “for some of the top cyclists, just in case of any problems.”

Bailey said, with certainty, that St Vincent and the Grenadines is in line to receive another 10 bikes within the next 12 months.

The eight recipients of the bikes would be making that giant step tomorrow, National Heroes Day, when they get that opportunity to put their wheels in motion, as the SVG Cycling Union stages a road race.

The route for this event is from Howards Marine in Villa Flat to the Arnos Vale Roundabout to Ratho Mill circuit. Set to ride off at 8 a.m., the various categories of cyclists will do different distances of the circuit. (RT)