Martin dominates 1st cycling tryout

TANAY, Rizal, Philippines  – Unheralded Rey Martin flaunted his mountain-climbing skills to top the opening leg of the rain-drenched three-day tryout for the national team staged by the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (Philcycling).

Toughened by his recent Padyak Pinoy Tour stint, the 21-year-old rising star from Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija attacked the mountains of Sierra Madre with relative ease to fashion out the victory.

Martin, who finished only 18th in the Tour, negotiated the grueling 160.2-k race with a rolling start in Baras and a flag down in Pililia in four hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds to boost his bid for one of the slots in the Philippine team that will see action in the Laos SEA Games this December.

The second tryout will be held Sunday.

The first leg – which attracted 77 male riders and a female participant in veteran Maruja Lucas –was a two-round counter-clockwise race using the Mabitac and Bugarin routes.

“So far, so good, but I hope more riders will take part in the next tryout,” said new Philcycling president Mikee Romero.

Bulacan’s Benito Lopez Jr. finished second in 4:39.41 while Marikina’s Eugenio Gomez clocked 4:41.17 for third.

Sharing the spotlight was 18-year-old Alvin Orosco of Tereza, Rizal who ruled the junior’s category, beating Dino Hipolito of Marikina and Edmundo Nicolas.

Martin, Tour veteran Enrique Domingo and former RP developmental member Emil Pablo staged the first breakaway in the town of Jala-Jala but a big group, led by Lopez, Gomez, national criterium champion Rodolfo Malangasa of Taytay and John Ricafort of Phil Navy in Mabitac, joined them in the lead pack later.

After coasting along with the group, Martin made his move and attacked again in the second curve to pull away.