JOHN Andre Aguja, a promising young talent from the Go For Gold cycling team, faced an uphill battle as he took on the world’s elite at the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Pal Arinsal, Andorra, Spain.
The 18-year-old two-time national Philippine champion was expected to be overwhelmed by the competition due to his limited experience on the global stage. Still, he earned respect and admiration, even without bringing home a medal.
He finished 76th out of an elite 84-man field, riding alongside some of the most seasoned off-road cyclists in the world.
Competing without the support of a team, Aguja’s bravery and determination stood out. Despite lacking teammates in the race, he managed to stay close to the main pack and his efforts paid off as the Philippines earned 9 UCI points and improved his world ranking to 49th place with a total of 182 points.
Completing the race was commendable for someone competing solo in a tough competition that needs perfect teamwork among club riders.
Denmark’s Albert Philipsen claimed the MTB Junior Championship title with the best time of 1 hour, 1 minute, and 59 seconds, averaging 19.360 minutes over four loops. Spain’s Hugo Franco Gallego secured second place (+1:55), while Denmark’s Nikolaj Hougs finished third (+1:56).
After the race, Aguja’s key benefactor, Jeremy Go of Go For Gold, expressed pride in the young cyclist’s performance.
Go revealed that he intends Aguja to compete in more World and European-level competitions as part of the company’s long-term development plan under the Scratchit brand.
“We hoped for another Cinderella story like the one John Andre pulled off at the Asian level, but the world stage is a different beast,” Go remarked with a smile. “What he faced were bigger, more experienced riders. But the experience he gained is invaluable—a golden lesson. This event has given us a clear perspective on where the Philippines stands against the world’s best.”
Go remains confident in Aguja’s bright future and is determined to continue pushing him towards world-class status. “I haven’t lost hope. The next logical step is to keep competing against the world’s best, raising our level with every race,” Go stated. “Our goal is for Aguja to truly understand what it means to be world-class. We can’t grow if we’re satisfied with victories in smaller tournaments. Hard lessons are crucial for development.”
Go also believes the investment in Aguja’s UCI world campaign was well worth it. “This campaign was neither easy nor cheap, but Go For Gold sees immense value in the lessons that only real-world experience can provide,” said the Scratchit VP for Marketing.
“Although Aguja reached only about 80% of his potential and goals, his journey to becoming a world champion has only just begun. We extend our congratulations to the winners and commend the organizers for an outstanding event that promotes excellence and sportsmanship. We also want to thank all the Filipinos who continue to believe in our mission: that when it’s Filipino, it’s gold!”
