The cream of the crop and the up-and-coming of Philippine cycling will converge in Tagaytay City today (Tuesday) to vie for honors in the 2019 National Road Cycling Championships.
Presented by Standard Insurance, MVP Sports Foundation and Tagaytay City, the National Championships will kick off with the individual time trial and team time trial races in the Men and Women Elite and Junior categories.
The championships will conclude with the road races tomorrow (Wednesday) on an out-and-back course from Tagaytay City covering the Batangas municipalities of Nasugbu, Tuy, Lemery, Agoncillo, Balayan, Lian, Talisay, Calaca and Laurel.
PhilCycling President Abraham Tolentino will send off the competitors along with Tagaytay City Mayor Agnes Tolentino in the race managed by Ube Media Inc.-Le Tour de Filipinas and supported by One LGC, Air21, Go For Gold, Bike X Singapore and 7-Eleven Cliqq Air21 by Roadbike Philippines.
The races will also serve as a dry run for the 30th Southeast Asian Games cycling competitions set from November 30 to December 11. Besides the road races, Tagaytay City will also host the mountain bike and BMX events of the SEA Games.
“The national championships will be a virtual operation of the 30th SEA Games,” said Tolentino, adding that the road race routes as well as those in the individual and team time trials (ITT and TTT) are virtually the same course for the SEA Games Tagaytay City is also hosting.
“With close to 300 riders joining the national championships, it goes to show that competitive cycling is very much alive in the Philippines,” PhilCycling president Tolentino said. “Cycling remains as an active and enduring sport Filipinos love to practise.”
Registration for the Men Elite and Under 23 reached 114 riders, while 22 cyclists were booked in the Women’s division.
The PhilCycling will also recognize the country’s cycling stakeholders—Alberto Lina (Air21-Le Tour de Filipinas), Ernesto “Judes” Echauz (Standard Insurance), Tagaytay City Mayor Agnes Tolentino, Jose Victor “Vic” Paterno (7-Eleven), Fernando “Dino” Araneta (LBC Ronda Pilipinas), Pablito “Bong” Sual (Roadbike Philippines), Jeremy Randell Go (Go For Gold), Paquito Rivas and Singaporean Vincent Leow (Bike X).
The Men Elite and Under-23 ITT will cover 18 kms and the Road Race 132.08 kms, the Women Elite and Men Junior ITT will be 12 kms and the Road Race will be 91.35 kms, while the Men Elite TTT will be 40 kms.
A total of 119 riders registered for the Men Elite and Under-23 Road Race (Massed Start), while the Men Elite and Under-23 ITT lured 68 riders and the Men Junior attracted 43 aspirants in the race that is calendared in the International Cycling Union or UCI. The Women Elite Road Race drew 12 riders and all 12 are also vying in the ITT.