Cuban cyclists have only won a single Olympic medal - in the Bejing 2008 Games when Yoanka González took silver in the points race, bested by the Netherlands' Marianne Vos, who holds six cycle-cross world titles, a London 2012 route cycling championship, and four other World titles in road and track events.
Only this superb opponent was able to deny Yoanka a gold medal in the scratch in the World Cup held in Melbourne, Australia (2004), the only competition which left Cuba's cyclist from the province of Villa Clara empty-handed, after triumphing at the university, continental and regional levels.
Cuba will send two cyclists to the upcoming Río Olympics: Lisandra Guerra and Marlíes Mejías who qualified thanks to their performances in competitions held during the qualification period, from 2014 through March 7 of this year.
In accordance with the current system, implemented by the International Cycling Union (UCI), teams from the top nine countries in the worldwide ranking advance directly to the Olympics, to compete in the team sprint, and two team members have the opportunity to compete in individual sprints and the keirin.
Additionally, the nine best cyclists, whose national teams did not qualify, have a ticket to the Games. Lisandra is within this group, and will compete in the sprint, in which she ranks fourth with 642 points, and the keirin (third-510).
The 28-year-old from Matanzas is making her third trip to the Olympics and will face stiff competition. Teams from Russia, Australia, China, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, France, New Zealand and Canada are set to participate, plus individuals from Britain, Ukraine, South Korea, Lithuania and Hong Kong.
Outstanding among her rivals in the sprint are Stephanie Morton (Australia-26 years of age), Lin Junhong (China-26), Kristina Vogel (Germany-26), Wai Sze Lee (Hong Kong-29) and Elis Ligtlee (Netherlands-22), the top five worldwide; plus veterans Ana Meares (Australia-33, a two-time Olympic champion and winner of 11 World titles), Shuang Guo (China-30), Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania-34), and Olga Ismayilova (Azerbaijan-31).
This is only a sample since another ten very strong cyclists will challenge Lisandra in the sprint, and the latest UCI international ranking (May 17) placed her in the 126th position. Many of these same opponents will compete in the keirin, in which she has been more consistent, although not necessarily stellar.
This explains her standing in 26th place worldwide, thanks to her placement among the top 13 in the third stop of World Cup competition in Hong Kong and the London worldwide event, both in the first three months of 2016, which won her a total of 425 points.
MARATHON ON THE TRACK
If Lisandra Guerra faces a difficult challenge, so does Marlíes Mejías, who will face experienced rivals in the grueling omnium.
This multi-track event, an eternal race against the clock in six races of different lengths, will see the participation in Río of 18 athletes, including the current world leader, Britain's Laura Trott (24 years of age), two time winner in the Summer Games and holder of seven World titles. Also expected on the track is Sarah Hammer (32) from the United States, ranked number five, with eight World titles to her name.
Marlíes (23) proved highly competitive during the qualification process, finishing seventh in the UCI ranking with 895 points, ahead of cyclists from traditional powerhouses like Germany, China, New Zealand, Canada and Russia. She will play a crucial role in Cuba's attempt to improve this year's Olympic harvest in cycling.
