This 2016 photo shows action in the Philippine National Championships Mountain Bike Asian Invitational held in Danao City. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Danao City in northern Cebu will become the proving grounds for aspiring cyclists who want to represent the country’s tricolors as the 2021 Philippine National MTB XCO (Cross country) and Downhill Championships will be held there.
The cross country event will unfold first on June 11 to 13 featuring the men and women’s elite and juniors (17-18 years old) divisions. The downhill event is on August 27 to 29, 2021 featuring only the men and women’s elite division.
PhilCycling Vice President Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez, who is also the chief of the Danao City Sports Commission (DCSC), told CDN Digital that the national team for mountain bike needed to recruit new members for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in November in Vietnam.
According to him, the last time the national team competed in an international race was in 2019 in SEA Games that was hosted by the Philippines.
Danao is not new to national and international mountain bike events as it already hosted the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. This time, it will become the race course for those who want to become part of the Philippine national team for mountain bike.
“The national coaches will conduct scouting for prospects that can fill up the national team’s junior division. They also have the chance to represent the country and can even replace the existing national team members if they have what it takes to beat them,” said Rodriguez Jr.
According to Rodriguez Jr., the national team for mountainbike is currently comprised of five cyclists in Cebuano and SEA Games gold medalist Niño Surban, Ariana Dormitorio, Avegail Rombaon, Melissa Jaroda, and EJ Flores.
“Aside from looking for a talented cyclist that can join the national team for SEA Games, we’re also searching for junior cyclists that will make up the junior national team. This group will serve as our farm team where the cyclists will further be developed and trained for various international events like SEA Games,” added Rodriguez Jr.
“This race is also measure the level of performances of our national team members. It is some sort of an update of where they are right now considering there is not much competitions happening because of the pandemic,” he stated.
Cyclists from Manila, Antipolo, Tarlac, Pangasinan, and Bulacan are set to arrive on Monday, May 17, 2021 to start their mandatory quarantine.
Rodriguez Jr. added that they are planning to fish out 10 or more potential cyclists from the two-day mountain bike event to fill in their junior national team.
The cross country men and women’s division champions will each get P12,000 while P8,000 for the second placers, and P6,000 for the third placers. The juniors division top placers will each receive P6,000 while P4,000 for the second placers, and P3,000 for the third placers.
Registration already started on May 10. For more information, check out the DCSC Cycling Team’s official Facebook page.
The tentative venues for the championships will be either in Barangay Manlayag or Barangay Sandayong in Danao City.
/dbs