Quiñones tops cross country tilt

SAN MATEO, RIZAL, Philippines – Veteran Eusebio Quiñones yesterday proved he’s still a formidable force in mountain bike racing as he conquered the treacherous slopes of the Timberland Heights en route to the cross country gold medal in the National Open Cycling Championships here.

Riding basically the same Giant XTC bike he used in his gold-winning effort in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, Quiñones covered the three-lap, 30.6-km course in one hour, 10 minutes, 21.46 seconds to edge out three other rivals for the top plum.

Settling for runner-up honors to the Roosevelt ace were teammates Alvin Benosa (1:10:24.36), Erick Feliciano (1:10:34.26) and Mark Macquin Aleonar (1:11:40.36), who were with Quiñones in a four-man pack that led majority of the way in the trail featuring an elevation of 160-460 meters and a mix of uphill (21 kms) and downhill (9 kms) rides.

“The four of us were alternating at the lead since breaking away from the field right in the first lap. I only broke away from the group in the last 600 meters,” Quiñones, who actually shrugged off a minor spill in the first lap, said in Filipino.

The pride of Basul, Daet, Camarines Norte is hopeful that he can bring his act to the SEA Games again next year. He was among the contingent that wasn’t given the greenlight in the last SEAG in Laos due to the absence of license from the International Cycling Union.

“Hopefully I can compete again the SEA Games,” said the 37-year-old Quiñones, who also owns two silver medals and one bronze in previous stints at the peninsular joust. “Otherwise, I will retire already and give way to the younger guys.”

Meanwhile, three gold medals in the track competitions of the bikefest held under the auspices of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines led by Dr. Philip Juico will be at stake today at the Amoranto Velodrome.

Alfie Catalan and Benosa will dispute the gold in the men’s individual pursuit while Kaye Lopez and Anna Marie Remigio will contest the mint in the distaff side. Benosa’s Roosevelt club and Catalan’s Sibuyan will slug it out for the team pursuit diadem.