Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez talks about the 24th Asian Mountain Bike Championships to be held in Danao City on May 4 to 7 during a press conference at the Nuevie Hall of the Maayo Hotel. With him is representative Red Durano of Cebu’s 5th District. CDN PHOTO/Lito Tecson
Danao City to host 24th Asian Mountain Bike Championships on May 4-7
For PhilCycling Vice President Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez, Danao City’s hosting of the 24th Asian Mountain Bike Championships on May 4 to 7 will be a chance for Filipinos to showcase not only their talents, but also their hospitality.
The prestigious event, which starts at Barangay Manlayag Patag in this northern city of the Cebu province, will have more than 200 elite cyclists from 18 different countries. Most of the participating countries are from the Southeast Asia.
There will also be 19 Filipino bets headed by Cebu’s Niño Surban.
Rodriguez, in a press conference yesterday at the Maayo Hotel in Plaridel, Mandaue City, said the event should be able to highlight the talents of Filipino cyclists.
“This is our chance to show our neighboring Asian countries how good Filipino athletes are,” Rodriguez said.
The 31-year-old Surban will compete in the Men’s Cross Country category along with five others. Other categories that Filipino bets will take part of are the Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Downhill and the Youth category.
Rodriguez also shared that they didn’t have a tough time bidding for the hosting of the event.
Last year, most members of the Asian Cycling Congress (ACC) already mentioned how much they wanted to visit the Philippines, especially Cebu, because of the hospitality they have towards visitors.
“When the time came for the bidding for which country will host, I took the chance,” Rodriguez stated. “I did not say anything. They just voted unanimously and we won.”
Joining Rodriguez in the press conference was Representative Red Durano of Cebu’s 5th District.
He said he is confident that Danao will do well with the hosting of the international event.
“Danao City is blessed with the terrain to hold such world-class events,” Durano said. “During Xterra, they witnessed how prepared the city was. Hopefully, these events will keep on coming and Danao City will be marked on the map.”
He added that it is not only Danao or Cebu who will benefit from this event but the entire country.
“This is not just for the Cebuanos but for the whole country. Let us show them what we are made of,” he said.
On May 1, delegates will be arriving and will be inspecting the race site. Mandatory walk-through of participants will be followed on May 2 and a chance to practice on the site will be on May 3.
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