RISING cycling star Mervin Corpuz and the rest of the MPTC DriveHub Cycling Team visited the PBA games after the squad recently captured the team classification of the Tour of Luzon 2025.
Corpuz was at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium as his teammates supported the NLEX Road Warriors, who had a game against Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday.
MPTC is the mother company of NLEX.
READ: NLEX's run of good form faces stern test from Ginebra
Corpuz finished 38th in the general classification, although he was at second place before the final stage from Lingayen to Baguio City.
He, however, was the Best Sprinter of the race.
The Umingan, Pangasinan native has gained a following in the cycling community especially during the recently-concluded Tour.
But unknown to many, the now 27-year-old was once a basketball player and even became a varsity player at Quezon Memorial Academy, but eventually became a cyclist due to influence of his uncle and four-time Tour champion Santy Barnachea.
“Nung high school, varsity ako. Pero nung nag-graduate na po ng high school, nahikayat ako sa tito ko na mag-bike na,” said Corpuz.
Even after high school, Corpuz was a regular in inter-town basketball competitions in Umingan until his career took him to cycling where he eventually landed a spot in the national team.
“Nung nagba-bike na po ako, sa amin sa Umingan, may intertown, naka parang 40 barangay ‘yung naka-entry. Limang beses po kami nag-champion tapos four times ako nag-MVP,” said Corpuz, who played point guard.
“Nag-iba na ang mindset ko na gusto ko rin ng cycling na lang. Nung pumasok ako ng cycling, binigyan ako ng pagkakataon na maging national team sa track. Nagtuluy-tuloy na po ‘yun,” said Corpuz.
Corpuz said he is excited to watch the PBA games since it is his first time to watch it live.
“Nanonood ako sa TV pero sa mismong live, ngayon lang po. First time lang po,” said Corpuz.
Corpuz vowed that his favorite team is NLEX although he laughed when asked why it’s not Barangay Ginebra, the country’s most popular team and the Road Warriors’ opponent.
“Patay tayo diyan,” Corpuz laughed in response to the question why Ginebra is not his favorite team.
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