RP riders off for Asian cycling tilt

A four-man national team made up of the country’s best riders departed for Yokaichi City in Japan yesterday to participate in the Asian Cycling Championships in the hopes of gunning for berths to the 2004 Athens Olympics.

However, the team, composed of ex-Tour champions Arnel Quirimit and Warren Davadilla, sprint specialist Enrique Domingo and rookie Dante Cagas, will be flying into the tough competition ill-equipped.

Competition equipment loaned by the Philippine Sports Commission to the Pagcor Casino Filipino trade team that participated in the Tour de Langkawi were returned only the day before the team’s flight to Japan.

And aside from being worn out, some of the equipment were destroyed.

The most crucial piece of equipment that was rendered irreparable was the Campagnolo disc wheel glibe worth P100,000, which was broken in the middle. The Pagcor Casino Filipino trade team, managed by Ric Rodriguez, returned the disc wheel with a sticker covering the hole, but officials of PhilCycling, the sport’s national federation, discovered the hole upon close inspection of the equipment.

Quirimit, who will join the individual time trial in the Asian bikefest, was supposed to use the disc wheel to bolster his chances in the event.

Domingo, Davadilla and Cagas will participate in the road race and some of the equipment they will use are already worn out.

The PSC lent the Pagcor Casino Filipino trade team, consisting of ex-national riders, the competition equipment for the Tour de Landkawi last February, but was only returned the other day.

Rodriguez or any member of the trade team had no immediate explanation as to why the equipment was returned late and why the disk wheel was broken.