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

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. Fighting all odds, the Haitian cyclists are coming forward to get sponsorships and shine internationally which will in turn also help in boosting the economy of the country.

Updated on: Nov 11, 2019 1:06 PM IST

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Ousline Georges, 22, a member of the Haiti national cycling team, jumps down from the podium after receiving a bronze medal for the individual time trial under 23 category at the Caribbean Cycling Championship in Havana, Cuba. “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.” (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Members of the Haiti national cycling team take a break from a training session. Cycling is not an easy sport to practice in Haiti, a country wracked by poverty, natural catastrophes and political instability. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Preselected cyclists for the Haiti national cycling team seen at the Olympic's Sport for Hope Centre. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Shawel Lafontant, 22, a member of the Haiti national cycling team, cycles past a crashed bus during a training session. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Members of the Haiti national cycling team ride past a building with an image of late revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara during a training session. The 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Cyclists compete at the Caribbean Cycling Championship in Havana. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Odvelt Clerge, 19, a member of the Haiti national cycling team is followed by his coach Yann Dejan in his car as he competes during the individual time trial at the Caribbean Cycling Championship. The UCI will continue to support Haitian cycling for the time being and they are hoping for the distribution bicycles in schools and youth clubs, once the political situation has calmed down. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Members of the Haiti national cycling team seen with their coach Yann Dejan in Baud. Dejan also created a female national team to complement the men’s. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Georges, a member of the Haiti national cycling team is kissed by her coach Yann Dejan after receiving a bronze medal. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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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 performed well most internationally to date. 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)

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Members of the Haiti national cycling team 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. (Alexandre Meneghini / REUTERS)