MANILA, Philippines — Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team will embark on a European journey next month but the ultimate goal still resides at home, with its desire to do good in the Tour of Luzon revival starting April 24.
“We want the top spot. That’s our priority in Tour of Luzon,” founder, team leader and rider himself Pako Ochoa told The STAR as the 18-strong squad VSPC wrapped up its training camp in Batangas yesterday.
“We’ll see because as we prepare, same goes with the other teams especially the Pinoy teams which have long been waiting for the Tour of Luzon. Matinding challenge ito.”
VSPC, founded by Ochoa in 2023 as one of the few continental teams that flies the flag in UCI tourneys, spent a week in Anilao to rev up for four to five races in Spain, Turkey, Greece, Taiwan and the Philippines from March to April to start the UCI season.
Guided by former Spanish pro cyclist Hector Carretero as sports director as well as former local champions El Joshua Cariño and Arjay Peralta as assistants, VSPC dominated the PhilCycling National Championships for Road earlier this month.
VSPC team captain Marcelo Felipe ruled the Men’s Elite Road Race, Nichol Pareja won silver in the Individual Time Trial (ITT) while developmental riders Rush Camingao and Darius Villaseñor topped the U-23 Road Race and Junior ITT, respectively.
