The Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) is facing a formal challenge from some top-ranked riders regarding the selection process for the upcoming Pan American Track Cycling Championships, scheduled for February 16-22, 2026, in Santiago, Chile.
The challenge is being led by attorney Dr Emir Crowne, who is representing JLD Cycling Academy and Heatwave Cycling, the clubs of three of the nation’s leading riders—Njisane Phillip, Makaira Wallace, and Alexi Costa-Ramirez.
The core dispute revolves around the TTCF’s recent proposal to host mandatory “impromptu trials” on January 17, 2026.
According to correspondence submitted by Crowne’s chambers, the proposed date runs contrary to the Federation’s own policy and procedures for the selection of cyclists, which stipulates that trials and selection must occur at least 12 weeks prior to a foreign international event.
This timeline would require selection to be finalised by late November, 2025.
In a letter sent to the Federation, Crowne argues that the late trial date is ultra vires, meaning it was decided outside of the proper authority needed to amend the long-established selection policy.
The letter also contends that scheduling trials in mid-January, which falls squarely within the international riders’ critical training blocks, would “unfairly disrupt their international trajectories.”
The riders at the centre of the dispute include sprinter Njisane Phillip ranked No. 23, female sprinter Makaira Wallace (No. 26), and Alexi Costa-Ramirez, ranked No. 23 in Women’s Elite endurance racing.
As an alternative to the late trials, the clubs have proposed that the TTCF utilise its discretionary power—which the selection policy allows for “unusual or emergency situations”—to select the team based on objective metrics, such as recent UCI rankings and performance results from major international competitions like the World Championships.
The TTCF Racing Committee had previously acknowledged that the January date deviates from the 12-week policy but maintained that the date was “collectively agreed” upon during a collaborative planning meeting in September this year.
The challenge by Crowne asserts this meeting lacked the requisite formal authority to override the official policy.
The Federation is expected to address the matter following an emergency virtual council meeting requested by its president, Rowena Williams, scheduled for last evening.