He is still trying to grasp its magnitude:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI still haven\u2019t fully understood what this truly means\u2014not just for me, but for the next generation that looks to us as an example.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Venezuelan cycling\u2014and by extension, cycling in the Caribbean and Latin America\u2014is writing a new chapter. Clever sees it as a testament to resilience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s proof that it can be done, that there is talent, and that with just a little support, incredible things can be achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centrocaribesports.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-12-15-at-6.50.34-PM-1-1024x707.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBehind the number one ranking are sleepless nights, endless kilometers, and farewells that still hurt. One of his hardest moments was leaving Venezuela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeaving my family, my friends, even my university studies\u2026 Leaving the country in search of opportunities and realizing that life abroad isn\u2019t as easy as many people think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And yet, he kept going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI worked up to two jobs to finance my races. That has been the greatest sacrifice,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were also days of doubt, moments when the goal felt too distant. That is when he found the key that changed everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA few years ago, I stopped chasing medals. I focused on improving myself day by day. Believing in the process\u2026 and the results came on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leading With Values<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Being number one carries a human responsibility that Clever embraces with clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou don\u2019t get here by coincidence. I try to be the best athlete and a better human being. It\u2019s sad to meet your idols and realize they aren\u2019t good people\u2026 I don\u2019t want to be one of those.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His philosophy is simple and powerful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t chase results. Chase becoming a good person. Be someone who adds more than they take away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raising the Venezuelan flag atop the world rankings\u2014backed by achievements that include two Pan American medals, Bolivarian titles, and numerous international podium finishes\u2014is an honor reserved for very few athletes worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI feel fortunate to represent a country with so much heart,\u201d he says. His achievement is also a message to the entire region. \u201cColombia has shown that it\u2019s possible. Now it\u2019s our turn to strengthen the Latin presence in the international peloton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To young cyclists, he leaves a phrase that sums up his entire journey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNever give up. Discipline and consistency will always defeat talent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s Next<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What lies ahead for Clever Mart\u00ednez is not a pause at the top, but the beginning of an even more ambitious climb. His immediate calendar includes the Pan American Track Championships in Santiago, Chile (February 16), followed by the World Cups in March and April, competitions that are part of his road toward the dream that now guides him more strongly than ever: the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Mart\u00ednez never set out to become number one in the world rankings, this achievement arrived as the natural consequence of something greater: believing in the process, improving every day, and maintaining absolute faith in his own path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy true goal is clear: to fight for Olympic gold in Los Angeles 2028,\u201d he affirms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If Clever could go back and meet the young man who was just starting out, he would not offer instructions or warnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t tell him anything. I\u2019d let him make the same mistakes, because every one of them was necessary. They shaped the Clever you see today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With his eyes fixed on what lies ahead, Clever also acknowledges that this journey is built as a team effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m open to adding sponsors who believe in this project and in what it represents. Behind every result there is great sacrifice, but also an opportunity to grow alongside brands that believe in sport, in Latin American talent, and in a dream that aims high. The right support doesn\u2019t just propel a career\u2014it inspires an entire generation,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Centro Caribe Sports Press \u2014 December 15, 2025 Some athletes do not reach the top by chance, but because they learned how to endure when no one was watching. Clever Mart\u00ednez is one of them. Quiet, steady, tireless, he represents a generation that learned to move forward even when the road seemed closed. Today, Latin American cycling celebrates a historic milestone: the Venezuelan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[24,33,7,53,23,11,12,54],"class_list":["post-431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-athletes","tag-ccs","tag-centro-caribe-sports","tag-clever-martinez","tag-coi","tag-los-angeles-2028","tag-olympic-games","tag-venezuela"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centrocaribesports.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/1000731549-1-1024x683.jpg\")
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Yanny Figueroa G.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centrocaribesports.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-12-15-at-6.50.35-PM-1-1024x683.jpeg\")
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