Auto Trend tops team event in Invitational Cycling Cup

Team Auto Trend 7-Cycles ruled it over a stellar field in the team event while teammates Joel Ginorella and Eric Carandang made it a 1-2 finish for Team Look-Carrera in the individual competitions of Division I of the 2004 Invitational Executive Cycling Cup in Clark Field, Pampanga recently.

Checking in 48 minutes and six seconds over the 33-km team trial event, Team Auto Trend bagged the Executive Team Time Trial crown, besting Team Look-Carrera, Team Alcatel Alaska A Superstar Roadies, respectively.

Alfie Reyes, Ariel Malabag, Ronald Cordero, Eric Malimban and Richard Uy made up the winning squad.

Look-Carrera turned in a 49:07 clocking for second, while Alcatel Alaska had 49:18 and settled for third place in the event which drew some of the country’s top executives in the two-day cycling extravaganza at the former American airbase.

Look-Carrera, however, reigned supreme in the 90-km massed start with Gironella and Carandang copping the first two places in 2:30 and 2:30:06, respectively. Ronald Cordero of Auto Trend checked in third in 2:30:12.

The victory gave Gironella the early lead (400 points) in the individual standings of the year-long event sponsored by The STAR, Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF), Profile Design, Rudy Project Eyewear and Sports Gear, Clark Development Corp. and Clark Multi-Sports Events Support Group. Carandang has 240 while Cordero totes 200 points.

Alcatel Alaska shows the way in the team division with 360 points followed by Look-Carrera (270) and Auto Trend (240).

In Division 2, Patrick Joson, also of Team Auto Trend, topped the 22-km individual time trial race in 0:34:22, beating Look-Carrera’s Maiqui Dayrit (0:35:54) and Team Joven Giant Trek Turbolite’s Bobby San Miguel (0:36:40).

San Miguel, however, bounced back from a third-place finish to rule the 54-km massed start circuit road race in 1:40:40, beating Israel Dee of Team John Wilkie B (1:40:46) and Dayrit of Look-Carrera (1:40:53).

San Miguel now has 520 points to pace the individual race in Division 2 while Joson and Dayrit pooled 420 and 350 points, respectively.