Young Surban fades, settles for bronze

JAKARTA – Nino Surban justified his last-minute inclusion in the Philippine cycling team here, giving the home bets a tough challenge before settling for the bronze medal in the cross-country race in Gunung Pancar, West Java, a three-hour drive from the Indonesian capital.

The Cebuano junior rider stuck close with Chandra Rafsanjani, Bandi Sugito and Dadi Nurcahyadi most of the ride before fading away as teammates Leopoldo Japitana, Alvin Benosa and Eboy Quinones did earlier.

Surban finished the lung-busting ride at 1:35.27, 6:19 behind gold-medal winner Rafsanjani. The silver went to Sugito.

Quinones, riding in SEAG for two decades now, came in behind Surban at 1:35.43, followed by Benosa at 1:37.21. Japitana was eighth out of 19 bets at 1:38.32.

Curiously, Surban just made the team after outperforming the national riders in a recent Langkawi open competition.

Even then, Philcycling needed the nod of Asean Cycling Federation president Sama Abdul Wahab for the Philippine Olympic Committee to approve Surban’s late entry.

Surban, however, proved he’s worthy of donning the national jersey.

He produced a second medal for the Philippine cycling team following Joey Barba’s silver-medal effort in downhill ride Saturday.

Taking their turns to vie for SEAG glory today are 2009 Tour champion Mark Galedo and Ronald Gorantes in the men’s 50.7-km individual time trial and 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima gold medalist Marites Bitbit in the women’s 25km ITT at the uphill Pemanukan, Subang Road in West Java.

“I have high hopes we’ll win more medals tomorrow (today),” said coach Cesar Lobramonte.

“It’s an uphill ride and Galedo, Gorantes and Bitbit are all good mountain-climbers,” Lobramonte also said.