THE road to Thailand and Hanoi starts at the Clark Freeport Zone on Saturday with the PhilCycling National Trials for Road as the country’s elite riders battle for slots on the national team to two important regional competitions set later this year.
The women’s 17.1-km individual time trial (ITT) will usher in the two-day trials—one of the major criteria for selecting national team members—at 8:30 a.m., followed immediately by the men’s 24.6-km ITT. The men’s and women’s criterium will follow at midday at the Clark Parade Grounds.
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The road races on an out-and-back course—98.40 km for women and 147.60 km for men are scheduled on Sunday (July 11).
A total of 111 cyclists—98 men and 13 women—are entered in the trials.
The Philippines will be sending riders to the Asian Road Cycling Championships set from Aug. 16 to 23 in Rayong, Thailand, and the 31st Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 in Vietnam.
The races are being held under protocols set by the Central Luzon Regional Task Force, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Health, Philippine National Police, Province of Pampanga and the Department of Tourism.
Bases Conversion Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon and Clark Development Corp. President and CEO Manuel Gaerlan will join PhilCycling and Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino in the ceremonial flag off for the event presented by Standard Insurance, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, BCDA and CDC, and supported by Go for Gold, Chooks-to-Go, GAC Motor, Gatorade, Versa, 7-Eleven, Le Tour de Filipinas, 7-Eleven, UBE Express Inc., Powerade, Wilkins, Coca-Cola, Shimano, Bike-X and MadCrank.
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