Cycling qualifiers shift to new venue

MANILA, Philippines - Due to huge budget problems, the Koten Unification Races National Qualifying is undergoing major changes in its last three venues.

From the initially arranged Subic venue for the July 23-25 culmination, the battlegrounds for the road race and mountain bike will instead be held in Tagaytay City and Balayan, Batangas.

Brgy. Bagong Tubig in Tagaytay will hold the mountain bike cross country tryouts on Sunday, while Balayan, Batangas will be the new venue for the ITT on Monday. Massed start races will wrap up the five-day qualifying in Tagaytay on Tuesday.

The race is supported by Taiwanese Electrical Leader Koten Enterprises, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Philcycling, Integrated Cycling, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Viva Mineralized Water, Zen Skin Institute, 7-11-Road Bike Philippines, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Grace of Shekina School-Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

The budget was projected to reach about a million pesos if the Road Race Individual Time Trial (ITT), Massed Start Race, and the Mountain Bike Cross Country try-outs are going to be held at the Subic Bay.

As of this writing, about half of the projected 671-thousand peso budget has been gathered by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the two cycling groups.

The proposal was originally rejected by Philcycling President Bambol Tolentino for the reason that Tagaytay is well-known as the cycling territory of his wards.

“I don’t want to add any unnecessary color to the Koten Unification Races. As much as possible, I would prefer if the races will be held on neutral grounds to avoid any complaints in end,” explained the Tagaytay City Mayor the other day.

But due to pressing budget considerations, POC Spokesman Joey Romasanta himself personally requested Tolentino to reconsider.

Bearing the approval of Integrated Cycling President Colonel Arnulfo Taberdo, Romasanta met Tolentino to convince the latter to accept the changes.

“I explained to Mayor that our budget is really not enough. Good thing that he understood our predicaments and I am so elated that he was convinced,” exclaimed Romasanta, who became the prime peace advocate for the two feuding groups.

“I don’t think anybody on our side will complain about the transfer to Tagaytay. The officiating will still be 50-50 and in the very first place, we are severely lacking funds,” said Col. Taberdo.