Cebuano pedal-pushers vie for top honors in Asian cycling tilt

CEBU, Philippines - Two Cebuanos are all dead-set to vie for glory as the 29th Asian Cycling Championship and 16th Asian Junior Cycling Championships jointly unfold today in Tengarong, East Kalamintan, Indonesia.

They are Marites Bitbit and John Rene Mier, both members of the Philippine team.

The senior riders will competed first as juniors action is yet to start on the 18th.

Though known to be a mountainbiker, Bitbit is also into road racing and has won a medal in racer event of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Mier, on the other hand, will show his stuff in track events under the juniors division.

Mier is lucky enough that in his first entry into the RP squad, he got an international exposure right away.

This also marks for the first time in a decade that the country will be sending a junior team to the ACC, thanks to the Philippine Sports Commission and the UCI-recognized Philcycling president and Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino.

Aside from Bitbit and Mier, the RP squad is also comprised of the multi-titled Victor Espiritu and John Renee Mier and junior riders George Oconer, Analiza Dysangco and Rustom Lim. – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)