Non-competitive 200km cycling event set

Voltaire Montebon (second from left) and his fellow cyclists pose after a 500-kilometer ride in Cebu last November 2020. | contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A long-distance non-competitive cycling event dubbed  “VDM Ride For Green & Healthy Environment” is set on April 1, 2021.

The event is organized by Cebuano sportsman Voltaire Montebon, a football player and also an Ironman 70.3 finisher who recently made waves online after deciding to help some booters at the city jail with their rehabilitation program.

Read: Cebuano sportsman helps inmates with rehab program

The entire ride will cover 200 kilometers, with the route traversing the south and southwestern parts of Cebu. The ride will start and end at the Axis Entertainment Avenue along Escario Street in Cebu City. 

The main goal of this cycling event is to raise the awareness of the positive effects riding a bicycle can give to the environment and one’s health.

“Just imagine it all of us ride a bike. It will mean a lot in helping save our environment,” Montebon told CDN Digital. “If there are lesser vehicles on the road, there will be lesser pollution.”

‘Chill ride’

Montebon clarified that this event is non-competitive, meaning it’s not a race.

“This is just a ‘chill ride,’ no racing. It will be a group ride so that we can share our advocacy to all Cebuanos on how beneficial riding a bicycle can be to the environment and our health,” said Montebon.

Montebon is limiting the event to just 60 participants to be able to follow health protocols and maintain social distancing. There will be no registration fee but registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Montebon and his group already conquered a 500-kilometer ride around Cebu island last year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Our intended distance for the event was 500 kilometers. Then we lowered it to 300 and later to 200 because we in our group realized that some riders might not be able to withstand the distance. So we agreed to 200 kilometers,” Montebon said.

To ensure all riders are safe and well-hydrated, there will be a support vehicle tailing them in the entire ride. They will also make several stops along the way to rest. 

/bmjo