Some of Central and South America’s future cycling talent have just spent several weeks in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on a training camp led by two professional coaches from the UCI World Cycling Centre.
The training camp, organised at the UCI WCC’s satellite centre after the success of the first such initiative in Mar del Plata one year ago, was attended by 32 junior riders from 11 countries. In parallel, a coaching course was held for 11 coaches from six nations.
UCI WCC coaches Alejandro Gonzalez-Tablas and Miguel Torres Martin were on a mission to detect talent and improve the young athletes’ skills and technique both on the track and the road. Aged mainly between 16 and 18, the promising athletes got a taste of what life would be like as a professional cyclist. While some already had international racing experience, for others it was their first trip out of their own country.
“They were very motivated and coped well with the schedule of two training sessions a day,” said Torres Martin.
Gonzalez-Tablas added: “The overall level was very good, probably higher than last year. Some of them will be our next Pan American Junior Champions,” he predicted.
The young athletes also benefitted from theory sessions, led by a sports psychologist and a UCI Commissaire, which covered topics such as rules and regulations, sports nutrition and anti-doping. They also had an inspiring talk from former Argentinean track cyclists Juan Curuchet and Walter Perez, gold medallists in the Madison at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Participants were full of enthusiasm after the training camp, and Aruban cyclist Jonathan Croes said he would never forget the two weeks in Mar del Plata where he “had the opportunity to meet so many great people and grow as a cyclist and a person.”
Greinny Quezada, from the Dominican Republic, said it had been two weeks of learning and new experiences where friendships had been struck: “Thanks to the coaches for their patience and dedication… I wish everyone the best results and hope they achieve their dreams. The sky’s the limit!”
The eleven coaches on the course arrived in Mar del Plata a week before the athletes to complete the theory section of their qualification before working with the junior riders, supervised by the two UCI WCC coaches, for the practical part of their test. Three of the participants passed the UCI Diploma, the highest qualification in the UCI Coach Development Programme, while most of the others obtained the UCI Level II coaching certificate.
Some of the coaches on the course will be in charge of their nation’s athletes competing in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
Argentinean coach Leandro Bottasso said it had been an honour to work alongside the two UCI WCC coaches: “It has been a great experience and I would like to thank everyone. There was great fellowship and a very good atmosphere.”
The camp was possible thanks to collaboration between the UCI, the UCI WCC, the Pan American Cycling Confederation (COPACI), Argentina’s National Cycling Federation (UCRA), the Argentina Olympic Committee, Ente Nacional de Alto Rendimiento (High Performance National Body- ENARD) and the Government of Argentina.
Training drew to a close with a closing ceremony organised by UCRA President Gabriel Curuchet and attended by some leading figures in cycling and sport in general, including COPACI President José Manuel Pelaez and the CEO of the Buenos Aires 2018 Organising Committee Leandro Larrosa.
UCI WCC Director Frédéric Magné said training camps such as the one in Argentina were vital for the development of cycling in the region.
“Talent detection is an important part of our work, and two weeks of intense training such as this gives our coaches a good idea of which athletes could potentially break through at an international level in the future. It is equally important to train coaches in different countries so that they are qualified to nurture that talent and help these athletes realise their potential.”
Some of the athletes who participated in the camp in Mar del Plata may be invited to join the UCI WCC’s high-level training group in Aigle, Switzerland.