RP riders begin quest for gold

HANOI, Vietnam (Via Globe Telecom) — Filipino cyclists hit the road today in search of the country’s first gold medal since 1995 at the start of cycling competitions at the outskirts of this city.

A P100,000 incentive offered by cycling chief Bert Lina is in the offing for the RP riders who have undergone training back home under the administration of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines.

Marita del Rosario, Katherine Lopez and Ani Karina de Leon are competing in the women’s 30.6 km criterium, which starts at 9 a.m. on a route outside Hanoi.

Alfie Catalan, Paterno Curtan, Paolo Manapol and alternate Merculio Ramos, all veterans of the Pilipinas Tour, mount their saddles at 10:30 a.m. for the men’s event.

"I believe the boys are all pumped up for the races and I strongly feel they could deliver the golds," saild Lina.

Team manager Mar Mendoza and head coach Jomel Lorenzo are confident of the riders’ chances today. Most of the riders arrived here Nov. 17 to acclimatize and familiarize themselves with the routes.

"It’s all tactical game and I believe our riders will live up to expectations," said Lorenzo.

The Philippines last won a gold in cycling in the 1995 Chiang Mai SEA Games through Joselito Santos’ win in the 1,000m track time trial. Santos now coaches the national track team.

Tomorrow, Victor Espiritu, Arnel Querimit and Ronald Gorrantes will vie in the men’s 50k individual time trial. Lakambini Alto and De Leon will compete in the 30k women’s ITT.

Massed start races set Dec. 9-10 will have Alto, De Leon, Del Rosario and Lopez in the men’s 90k event, while the campaigners in the 160k men’s event are Ramos, Espiritu, Querimit, Warren Davadilla, Enrique Domingo, Rhyan Tanguilig and Lloyd Reynante.

Marites Bitbit, the lone female entry in mountain bike, and male riders Eusebio Quinones and Frederick Feliciano are entered in the cross country event set Dec. 12.

Meanwhile, the Filipino judokas, brimming with confidence, open their campaign with all four bets tipped to figure in the battle for gold when the tournament starts today at the Lan Bin Thang Competition Hall in Ho Chi Minh.

RP judo team head coach Geraldine Barcelon said that Francisco Teves, Aristotle Lucero, Helen Dawa and Nancy Quillotes "will be right in there fighting. We (coaching staff) believe they are all strong gold medal contenders."