The velodrome in the Caribbean city of Couva has been hosting a training camp for coaches and cyclists at the Union Cycliste Internationale’s Continental Development Satellite Centre since last week, with the programme running until Saturday.
In collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation, the Satellite Centre – the UCI’s vehicle for developing cycling in the region, particularly in countries with limited resources and tradition in the sport – officially launched its Track and Road Training Camp and UCI Coaching Course on 29 June 2026. The initiative has brought together athletes, coaches, technical experts and cycling officials from Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean.
The Couva centre was officially inaugurated by the UCI on 3 December 2022, when the governing body granted the city’s facilities Continental Development Satellite Centre status and the programme forms part of the UCI’s development strategy, which aims to strengthen cycling throughout the region by developing riders and coaches while promoting technical knowledge and the exchange of expertise.
Athletes and coaches from Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago are taking part in the programme. The opening ceremony featured addresses by Rowena Williams, president of the Cycling Federation, and Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee President Diane Henderson, among other officials.
Representing the UCI are Steve McEwen,development manager of the Satellite Centre, who has more than two decades of experience in designing high-performance programmes and long-term athlete development systems to prepare riders for World Championships and the Olympic Games, and coaching expert Julien Nunes, who have been responsible for supporting and instructing participants throughout the camp.
On the opening day, Williams encouraged participants to make the most of the opportunity and to engage fully in every aspect of the programme. “Developing yourself for the future is of the utmost importance. Take every opportunity to learn throughout this process,” Williams said. She added that the camp was an opportunity not only to improve performance “but also to continue building the future of cycling in Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean“.
Henderson, meanwhile, said she hoped “the programme will strengthen cycling in Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the region, while promoting excellence, friendship and sportsmanship” and Henderson, who also serves as a member of Panam Sports, highlighted the close relationship between the continental organisation and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, noting that both bodies continue to discuss new initiatives aimed at advancing sport development.
Participants have completed a comprehensive programme including orientation, safety and observation sessions, applied physiology, athlete assessments, goal setting, training planning, monitoring and feedback, strength and conditioning, talent identification, race simulations and practical coaching assessments.
The UCI Satellite Centre in Couva continues to establish itself as a key regional hub for track and road training camps, coaching education and mechanics courses under the UCI development programme, bringing together athletes and coaches from across the Caribbean and the Americas while helping to strengthen the future of cycling in the region.
Source: Inside the Games
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