National Open cycling road race to begin in QC

MANILA, Philippines - The road race of the 2010 National Open Cycling Championships will begin in front of the Quezon City Hall on Dec. 11, taking the riders to a 165-kilometer journey all the way to Bugarin, Laguna and back to the city at the Amoranto Velodrome.    

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has been invited to fire the starting gun of the massed start road race set to start at 9 a.m. – the culmination and highlight of the National Open, a six-day cycling extravaganza making a comeback after a 25-year hiatus.    

“We changed the venue of the road race start from Tanay, Rizal to Quezon City so that more people can watch the event,” said Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (ICFP) president Dr. Philip Ella Juico.

“Logistics-wise, it will also be easier for everybody, including the riders,” added Juico, who is also currently the president of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.    

The route will take the participants from the Quezon City Hall to Kalayaan Avenue, Anonas, Aurora Blvd., Sumulong Highway, Antipolo, Teresa, Morong, Baras, Tanay, Jala-Jala, Pakil, Mabitac, Bugarin, Laguna and back the same route all the way to the Amoranto Velodrome.    

A 40-km individual time trial will be held a day earlier on Dec. 10 in Jala-Jala.    

The Mountain Bike competitions slated on Dec. 8 will be held at the Timberland Heights, San Mateo, Rizal, courtesy of Edmund Mangaser.    

A separate category will also be held – the Masters Division – to be participated in by the sport’s greats and former tour legends, such as Cesar Filosopo, an Asian Cycling Championships gold medalist in 1971 and silver medalist of the National Open, former Tour of Luzon champions Jess Garcia and and Rolando Pagnanawon, among others.    

Several elite teams, such as the LPGMA-Paranaque, 7-11 Roadbike Phils., Subic-Olongapo of president Edwin Sentesas and Daniel Mallari, Cebu of Joe Derezas, Cagayan -Tuguegarao of Tommy Arugay, Cavite of Ronnie Hebron, Davaoof Dominic Carpio, East Pangasinan of Jess Garcia, West Pangasinan of Roy del Prado, Mileage Team Nueva Ecija of Ramon Asuncion and Nueva Vizcaya of Lupo Alava, are also slated to join.