Sharpe: Europe has been good to me

Leaving Jamaica for an unknown environment to improve as a cyclist is not something national representative Llori Sharpe says she regrets.

In fact, the leap of faith has paid off, as she said she has noted significant improvements in her athleticism after signing a one-year contract with the Germany-based Canyon cycling group.

“It was definitely an eye-opening experience to say the least. As it relates to cycling specifically, being able to train and race in Europe allowed me to see how much more room for improvement there is and that with the right environment, athletic progress can be achieved,” Sharpe said. “Not only was it way easier to simply ride my bike, the cyclists I met, interacted and trained with made the experience that much better for me.”

The 22-year-old said this experience has come with many lessons.

“Biggest lesson I’ve learned would certainly be the value of teamwork. I don’t think many people realise that cycling is in fact a team sport as we work together to ensure that our general classification contender is in the best position possible to secure a victory. Teamwork also extends to how the staff (sports director, mechanic, soigneur) coordinate their respective activities to ensure that the riders are all well taken care of,” she said.

This has also paved the way for her to be a part of a major advertisement with the cycling company she is signed to.

“Aside from the ad, being a part of Canyon/SRAM Generation has allowed me to experience a wealth of different European cultures and explore some beautiful places while on a bike that I would never have thought of being able to see, so those opportunities I truly appreciate,” she said.

And Sharpe does all of this while being a student at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

“Given that UWI (Cave Hill) had been online, cycling in Europe and attending classes was manageable. I’m currently a third-year student pursuing a bachelor’s in Sport Sciences,” the former St Andrew High School for Girls student said.

Sharpe’s local coach, Adrian Clarke, said he is proud to see her performing so well overseas.

“I’m very proud of Llori’s growth as I’ve seen the dedication and hard work she has put out: her determination and focus toward her goals both on and off the bike,” Clarke said. “Llori will be a world-class cyclist based on what she has shown so far, she will move on to the second year of her professional contract.”

Sharpe said homesickness gets the better of her sometimes, but she feels she will be better able to develop as a cyclist if she trains overseas.

“The contract (with Canyon) really doesn’t bind you to any one place, so I can live and train wherever. I’d just much rather prefer training outside of Jamaica as the environment is a bit more conducive to my development as a cyclist,” the national cyclist said.

“There are some aspects of Jamaica I miss, like my parents, friends and being comfortable. I am enjoying my time in Europe for the most part, but Jamaica is what I’ve called home for my entire life, so there are times where I miss being there. Fortunately though, my teammates were in a similar situation so that common sort of homesickness we have got allowed us to develop an even stronger bond.”