Clark Freeport—Some 72 cyclists competed on the first day of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) competition held in this Freeport.
The competition will run from July 10 to 11, 2021. Cyclists from various areas of the Philippines will participate in the different categories of the competition. These categories are the Individual Time Trial for Women, ITT for Men, Criterium for Women, as well as the Criterium for Men.
Clark Development Corporation president and CEO Manuel R. Gaerlan and Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and CEO Vivencio B. Dizon led the opening ceremony of the competition. They were joined by BCDA Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Group Arrey Perez.
Gaerlan was delighted to welcome the competitors and cited Clark as the “premiere choice for sporting events since it was awarded as the sports destination of the year for three years”.
Gaerlan, Dizon, and Perez are also cycling enthusiasts who also traverse the bike lanes and routes of this Freeport during their free time.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Cycling Competition Head Coach and Deputy Race Director Ednalyn Hualda expressed her gratitude to CDC for making the event a success despite of the pandemic.
“We would like to thank President Gaerlan and President Vince Dizon for allowing us to be here to conduct our national trials. You don’t know how much it meant for the cycling community to have this event,” she said.
Hualda also looks forward to more cycling competitions to be held at Clark given that it’s bike-friendly and safe for all types of competitors.
“We’re going to conduct another competition maybe in the latter part of this year and we want it to be in Clark. We hope that we will be allowed and supported again by CDC and BCDA,” she said.
The said event was also live streamed via PhilCycling’s official Facebook page which allowed non-competitors like fans, family, and friends to watch the competition live and to show their support even if they’re far away.
More than 60 participants are expected to compete on Day 2 of the PhilCycling competition for the ‘Race Road’ category both for women and men the following day.