Scouting future cycling champs is former national champion Maxwell Trevor’s forte

Former national cycling champ Maxwell Trevor turns mentor, eyes long-term success through early training and discipline

Hyderabad: For the former national champion Maxwell Trevor it has become some sort of a hobby to travel around with the same zeal and fervour, like at the peak of his career as a champion cyclist, to scout talent, donning the role of a member of the Sports Authority of India’s Talent Identification and Development Committee member.

“We focus on young cyclists, especially in the age group of 14 to 16 years, watch their pedalling, their warm-up routines and discipline,” says Maxwell, who has his own Dr Maxwell Trevor Cycling Welfare Association in the City to promote cycling in a big way.

In fact, he named three from his own camp – Vaishnavi, Sahasra and Tanishk – as very promising and who can make it big. For him, it is a long-term plan of action as the goal is to produce champion cyclists and not also-rans. The 49-year-old Maxwell essentially feels that the reason for younger cyclists is to let the coaches engage in a long-term training programme.

For someone who was an inspiration himself as a cyclist during his heyday having won the Nationals a stunning 10 times, the Hyderabadi reminds that they also look at the kind of equipment like frames and wheels that the athletes are using for their rides to assess their explosive power.

Maxwell, who who came very close (just 0.04 seconds behind) to the Olympic track cycling record informed SAI media that they do have sport-specific tests on bicycles attached to a computer that captures the data like the cadence, the revolutions per minute of the pedals, the heart rate and the power generated in Watts in different time frames.

Maxwell feels that any athlete has to be mentally tough for that is an essential ingredient to be a champion in any discipline. For, he feels that many gifted talents have drifted away for want of this aspect.

True to his affable nature, the renowned cyclist from the city recalls how his own ‘selfless’ coach Mumtaz Ahmed moulded his raw talent. “I wish to do my job the way he did, with complete passion and no motives attached,” Maxwell said even while stressing that the UCI Level I course for coaches now available should multiply the number of coaches at the grassroot level so that they become a feeding unit to the main centres.

“I am optimistic of a very bright future for Indian cyclists given the kind of support they are getting from the Federation and the Government, especially SAI,” he signed off.