Haiti’s cyclists brave protests and poor roads in race for gold

Haiti’s cyclists brave protests and poor roads in race for gold

Advertisement

Ousline Georges, 22 (pictured below), only started to take cycling seriously a year ago, wary of the many hurdles she faced such as the prohibitive cost of a decent bicycle and the treacherous roads in her home country of Haiti, the poorest in the Americas.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Georges jumps down from the podium after receiving a bronze medal for the individual time trial under 23 category.

This past weekend though, she became the first Haitian ever to win a medal in the Caribbean Cycling Championship, thanks to a new program created by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) that fosters the sport in small, developing nations.

"I was really moved," said Georges, a student and mother of a four-year old boy. "When I saw the others cry over my victory, I cried too."

. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares
Preselected cyclists for the Haiti national cycling team train at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre in Port-au-Prince.

Cycling is not an easy sport to practice in Haiti, a country wracked by poverty, natural catastrophes and political instability.

Bicycles and a good diet are too expensive for most and there are few roads that lend themselves to training given the destruction wrought by the 2010 earthquake and a scarcity of cash to build infrastructure.

. Bois D'orme, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares
Shawel Lafontant cycles past a crashed bus during a training session in Bois D'Orme outside of Port au Prince.

The country's main arteries clogged with trucks and buses, along with roadblocks that have been set up as part of the anti-government protests that have paralyzed the country for months now, have made it even more dangerous for cyclists.

Those protests, over corruption and inequality, prevented Haiti from hosting the championship of more than 20 nations this year as originally planned, which would have provided the country an economic and morale boost.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Members of the Haiti national cycling team ride past a building with an image of late revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara during a training session in Havana.

Instead, the race - one step below the Pan American Championship where cyclists can qualify for the Olympics, was moved to neighbouring Cuba.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Cyclists compete at the Caribbean Cycling Championship.

Given the poor track record of Haiti's cyclists, they cannot get sponsorship.

However, it appears change is afoot. At the Caribbean Cycling Championship held on November 3 in Havana, Haiti's national team put in their best performance ever.

. Baud, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes
Members of the Haiti national cycling team are spoken to by their coach Yann Dejan in Baud.

Under the program, Haitian cyclists were given equipment and a French coach, Yann Dejan, as well as a month's training in Brittany, France. Dejan also created a female national team to complement the men's.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Odvelt Clerge is followed by his coach Yann Dejan in his car as he competes during the individual time trial at the Caribbean Cycling Championship.

As a result, some of Haiti's cyclists finished the circuit for the first time ever. According to Dejan, they had always been eliminated before arriving at the end because they lagged too far behind the pack.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Georges is kissed by Dejan after receiving a bronze medal .

Georges won the bronze medal in the under 23 category. She reckons she could have won gold if she could have had the full training originally planned.

Administrative delay for visas and other difficulties due to Haiti's general disarray meant the training was reduced from five months to two for the men and one for the women, according to Dejan.

"I hope to go further with cycling, I wish the Haitian Federation and sport ministry would keep us training," said Georges.

. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares
A commuter traveling in a Haitian transportation vehicle called a 'tap-tap' looks at members of the Haiti national cycling team riding amongst traffic during a training session in Port-au-Prince.

Cycling is still very niche in Haiti; the Haitian Federation of Cycling (FHC) now has 360 cyclists. Football is the most popular sport on the island and the discipline in which Haitians have shone most internationally to date.

. Baud, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes
Members of the Haiti national cycling team stop for a break with their coach Yann Dejan during a training session near Baud.

But Dejan reckons Haitians have proven they have the physical qualities and talent to shine with the right training and support. And once they shine, they can get sponsorships.

The UCI will continue to support Haitian cycling for the time being, he said. It hopes for example to distribute bicycles in schools and youth clubs, once the political situation has calmed down.

. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
Georges and Medgine Staco react to teammates approaching the finish line at the Caribbean Cycling Championship.

Dejan, who has trained cyclists from all over the world, said cycling tournaments had proven very popular in poor nations because they offered a free outdoor spectacle. Haiti was applying to host the Caribbean Championships in 2021, he said.

"Cycling could be a way of giving the Haitian people back their smiles," he said.

1 / 19

Slideshow

Jean Willy Joseph, Sony Saintil and Shawel Lafontant watch a video on a phone as they rest in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Jean Willy Joseph, Sony Saintil and Shawel Lafontant watch a video on a phone as they rest in Port-au-Prince.

Dejan counts the push-ups of a preselected cyclist who arrived late to a meeting ahead of a training session at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Dejan counts the push-ups of a preselected cyclist who arrived late to a meeting ahead of a training session at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre in Port-au-Prince.

Jean Paul Toussaint, a mechanic, changes the wheel of a bicycle for a preselected cyclist ahead of a training session at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Jean Paul Toussaint, a mechanic, changes the wheel of a bicycle for a preselected cyclist ahead of a training session at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre.

Members of the Haiti national cycling team have lunch at a street restaurant in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Members of the Haiti national cycling team have lunch at a street restaurant in Port-au-Prince.

Trophies and medals awarded to Joseph are displayed at his house in Leogane.
. Leogane, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Trophies and medals awarded to Joseph are displayed at his house in Leogane.

Joseph says goodbye to one of his sons in Leogane.
. Leogane, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Joseph says goodbye to one of his sons in Leogane.

Joseph rides his bicycle along a street in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Joseph rides his bicycle along a street in Port-au-Prince.

Odvelt Clerge (L), and Sony Saintil bathe at Saintil's house, in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Odvelt Clerge (L), and Sony Saintil bathe at Saintil's house, in Port-au-Prince.

Yolanda Miraccin takes a break during a training session in a field on the outskirts of Leogane.
. Leogane, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Yolanda Miraccin takes a break during a training session in a field on the outskirts of Leogane.

Members of the Haiti national cycling team transport their bicycles on the roof of a car as they make their way to the airport in Port-au-Prince.
. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares

Members of the Haiti national cycling team transport their bicycles on the roof of a car as they make their way to the airport in Port-au-Prince.

Members of the Haiti national cycling team ride along a road during a training session near Baud.
. Baud, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes SEARCH "HAITI CYCLING" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES

Members of the Haiti national cycling team ride along a road during a training session near Baud.

Herode Isaac prepares his bike before a training season in Baud.
. Paris, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes SEARCH "HAITI CYCLING" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES

Herode Isaac prepares his bike before a training season in Baud.

Odvelt Clerge takes part in an aerobic workout in Baud.
. Baud, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes SEARCH "HAITI CYCLING" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES

Odvelt Clerge takes part in an aerobic workout in Baud.

Members of the Haiti national cycling team react as they watch a cycling race on TV in Baud.
. Baud, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes SEARCH "HAITI CYCLING" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES

Members of the Haiti national cycling team react as they watch a cycling race on TV in Baud.

Clerge chats with Luca, a neighbor who lived next door to the house where the team were staying in, during a break after a training season in Baud.
. Paris, France. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes

Clerge chats with Luca, a neighbor who lived next door to the house where the team were staying in, during a break after a training season in Baud.

A man wears a t-shirt with an image of late revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara during the Caribbean Cycling Championship.
. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

A man wears a t-shirt with an image of late revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara during the Caribbean Cycling Championship.

Cyclists get ready to compete at the Caribbean Cycling Championship.
. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

Cyclists get ready to compete at the Caribbean Cycling Championship.

Odvelt Clerge competes in the individual time trial at the 2019 Caribbean Cycling Championship.
. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

Odvelt Clerge competes in the individual time trial at the 2019 Caribbean Cycling Championship.

Luisemene Georges and Odvelt Clerge pose for photos taken by a fellow teammate at their hotel's swimming pool in Havana.
. Havana, Cuba. Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

Luisemene Georges and Odvelt Clerge pose for photos taken by a fellow teammate at their hotel's swimming pool in Havana.