THE top 40 finishers of the Cross Country Marathon World Series qualifying race will be eligible to join next year’s world championship race in Germany.
The event was held at Nuvali’s Dirt Weekend bike festival, its eighth installment which gathered more than 1,500 cyclists representing different provinces and countries around the world, including Japan and Portugal.
In the men’s division, Japanese rider Motoshi Kadota won the race, finishing the 90-kilometer course in 4:06:17.87. In second place was Alvin Benosa of Team BMC Philippines with a time of 4:09:13.92, and in third was Eusebio Quinones, also from the Philippines, with 4:11:05.79.
Ariana Dormitorio finished first among women riders with 5:12:12, followed by Melissa Jaroda with 5:16:45 in second place, and Avegail Rombaon with 5:19:45 in third. All three riders are from the Philippines.
Nuvali partnered for the second consecutive year with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body on sports cycling events, to host this year’s Asian qualifying leg of the 2017 Cross Country Marathon World Championship. The top 40 riders scored points for their UCI Mountain Bike (MTB) Marathon Series ranking.
“We are excited to be back here in Nuvali for Dirt Weekend. This year, we took the competition up a notch with new and longer routes at 90Km from 70Km last year, designed to challenge the local and international cycling community with a noteworthy qualifying race,” said Geoff Kronenburg, UCI Technical Delegate.
Nuvali is an Ayala Land sustainable estate that sits in the cities of Sta. Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao in Laguna and features a diverse mix of residential and commercial developments.
“Nuvali is known as a popular destination for mountain bikers with its natural trails and dedicated lanes that encourage biking as a sport and a mode of transportation. We continuously aim to take this a step further and serve as venue for world-class competitions in order to recognize local talents as well as give our athletes a chance to compete globally,” said John Estacio, Nuvali General Manager.
Dirt Weekend also featured its signature yearly event, the 35-kilometer Dirt Weekend Cross Country Fun Race, which had over a thousand participants, ranging in age from 15 years old up to 50 years old and above in the Masters Category.
“Dirt Weekend is just one of our outdoor adventure activities that we hold to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. Along with the readiness of our trails and the willingness of people to participate, further boosts the presence of the Philippines in the global map of competitive mountain biking. ” said Estacio.
To get to Nuvali, private vehicles can pass through Mamplasan, Sta. Rosa, Eton-Greenfield, Silangan, or Canlubang exit along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). Public transportation to Nuvali is available from major jump-offs such as Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Balibago.