HAVANA. Eight Cuban riders will participate in the XIX Vuelta a Guatemala, announced from June 12 to 16 and will award points for the ranking of the International Cycling Union (UCI), cumulative with a view to the classification to the Olympic Games of Japan 2020.

Arlenis Sierra, leader of Astana Women’s, will do it for this team, as well as his compatriot Heydi Praderas, now both in Italy where the Kazakh club is based.

The Cuban team includes Claudia Baró, Yusmary Díaz, Maylín Sánchez, Idaris Cervantes, Iraida García and the experienced Yumari González, multiple world track medalist, led by Leonel Álvarez.

Pablo Campins, national commissioner, added to JIT that except Idaris and Iraida, the other islanders make up the women’s team that will take part in the Pan-American Championship, which has been based since the end of this month in Pachuca, Mexican state of Hidalgo.

He commented that this race, class 2.2 of the Tour America of the UCI, will contribute to the preparation of the Cubans for the Pan American Games in Lima, which will be inaugurated next July 26.

The Guatemalan federation said that the rotation must have five stages and they expect the presence of other foreign teams, while among the hosts there will be a large group of the under-23 category.

Along with the pedal of Manzanillo, Granma, and the native of Cabaiguán, in Sancti Spíritus, run by Astana Women’s the Canadian Marie Soleil Blas, the Colombian Liliana Moreno and the Mexican Yareli Salazar, of the 13 signed for this season, according to the club page.

The presence of this squad and that of Cuba will give a higher level to this turn, especially that of Arlenis, who told JIT that she is very excited about her debut in Guatemala and that she expects to perform well.

At 26, the continental road champion, after two seasons with Astana, has managed to be in the top ten of the UCI world rankings, and rubs shoulders with the best and shines of road cycling in the world. (jit.cu)