Cycling development in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean is set to receive a significant boost through the continued expansion of the UCI Satellite Centre in Couva.
Officials have described the initiative as a long-term investment aimed at strengthening the sport well beyond the next Olympic cycle.
Development manager James Hey underscored the importance of the facility, noting that the centre offers infrastructure rarely available elsewhere in the region.
“The biggest sticking point with a lot of the Caribbean nations is their infrastructure and the facilities that they have got,” Hey explained. “But Couva here, the satellite is one of a kind in the region, so that is the basis of the camps. We will be doing some distance learning for the coaches and checking with the federations on a monthly basis, so it will be a full package… We are hoping to have something that is sustainable for years to come as opposed to just looking at one-off camps.”
Hey described the project as a “work in progress since late last year,” revealing that he first engaged with the initiative during a two-week camp in November before deciding to relocate to Trinidad to assume the role in December.
“In a nutshell, the bigger picture is to develop cycling in the region, raise the bar… This is a very active region for all disciplines of cycling,” he said. “The focus is to put in a framework for squads from grassroots all the way up to podium potential before riders move into that senior squad.”
Hey spoke of the first target for the satellite programme.
Aim of satellite centre
“The immediate focus will be Pan Am 2027 so we could get the structure in place and get more riders developing and nurturing through the satellite,” Hey added. “But the focus won’t just be on the riders, it will be on the coaches as well and the collaboration across the region.”
Hey stressed that the satellite centre is designed to complement rather than replace national programmes.
“This is not replacing any national programme or anything that they have got in place for their federation. This is to support alongside. It is super important. It is almost supplementing the work that they are already doing and take not only the athletes but their new-found knowledge back to their federations, just to strengthen what they already got in place.”
The centre plans to operate a nomination-based system with clearly defined benchmarks while adopting a rotational camp structure to manage travel costs across the Caribbean.
“We would like to operate with a little bit more of a flowing pool system so we can have rotations,” Hey said. “Cost is a big factor travelling around the Caribbean…We will have bi-monthly rotational camps for not just juniors but the Under-23s, not just sprints but endurance as well.”
Next camp
Discussions are already underway with federations across 24 Caribbean nations, including six Spanish-speaking territories, with organisers targeting the Easter period for expanded activity.
“We are looking at the end of March for a two-week camp… All being well and we get the buy-in from the federations—because we need their buy-in—we are probably looking at Easter,” he noted.
UCI World Cycling Centre official Salomé Ernotte praised the Couva facility.
“We have a network of 11 satellite centres, Couva being one of them. The goal of the satellite centre is to develop cycling in the region with athletes, coaches and mechanics as well,” Ernotte said.
“Couva is one of the most active satellite centres we have in the network. It is the example that we are always sharing with our partners because it is super active.”
She added that collaboration with key stakeholders has been instrumental to the project’s progress.
“We are working very good with TTCF but also with the TTOC and SporTT, so it is a very good example to share. It is the first time that a satellite has a development manager, so again it is a good example.”
Satellite Centre support
Ernotte confirmed that the initiative will be supported through multiple channels. “It will be supported by the UCI Solidarity programme, with support from COPACI and Pan Am Sports, a mix of stakeholders to help the project. Super happy to see this happening… It is very nice to see all the stakeholders being here today.”
Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation president Rowena Williams, who also serves as vice-president for the Caribbean zone of COPACI, emphasised that the satellite centre aligns with the Federation’s strategic goals.
“Initially the plan is to take us into Pan Am Games 2027 and lead straight into 2028,” Williams said. “But more so, we are looking forward to this project going beyond just LA 2028. But we will see how it goes.”
Support from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has also been pivotal. Secretary general Annette Knot said the organisation’s involvement has centred on ensuring the facility remains operational and impactful.
“Our role in this project has been about support. Support to the TTCF, and of course support for T&T to have this satellite centre very active,” Knot stated. “For us…it was important to help the TTCF as well as the UCI to make sure this satellite centre is up and running.”
She added that continued local commitment will be essential to its success.
“We have had great support from Pan Am Sports and it is up to us here in T&T to continue to support all that we need to do to make sure that this satellite centre keeps going. The facility is ten years old and in great condition.”
SporTT’s head of partnerships and alliances, Kairon Serrette, described the initiative as part of a broader sporting vision for the country.
“An exciting time for sport, not only cycling but sport in T&T,” he said. “It is a hub of activity, allowing us to see what a development pathway could look like, a regional endeavour.”
With regional collaboration, structured development pathways and sustained stakeholder backing, the Couva Satellite Centre is being positioned as a cornerstone for Caribbean cycling, one that officials hope will nurture the next generation of riders while elevating standards across the sport.