LBC-MVP cyclers test mettle at Tour de Singkarak

MANILA, Philippines – After its European odyssey the past couple of months, the LBC-MVP Sports Foundation Cycling Pilipinas plunges back into action as it joins the Tour de Singkarak from June 7-15 in Western Sumatra, Indonesia.

The team will leave this week for the nine-day race that will cover 1,250 kilometers of flat roads and mountain ascents and participated on by 10 continental teams and six national teams in Asia.

To beef up the team, composed of the country's best young cyclists aged 20 years and below, coach Chris Allison said they have tapped sprinter Jerry Aquino, Jr. to reinforce the squad also comprising of Mark Bonzo, Jemico Brioso, Joshua Carino, Rustom Lim, Ronald Lomotos, Junrey Navarra and Ronald Oranza.

Aquino made his mark in this same event last year when he finished second in the seventh and final lap of Tour de Singkarak where he was then with Roadbike-7Eleven team.

Allison said the squad is expecting good results in Indonesia after returning from two-month-long European tour where the squad secured several solid performances against a field that included some Tour de France superstars.

"Cycling is the next boom for Philippine sports as I can already confirm there is interest to sign a Filipino rider into a top European team," said Allison. The resilience of our boys in Europe turned a lot of heads.

"Here is the beauty of cycling:  because Filipinos have the perfect body type for this sport naturally, we can develop and send our grassroots talent to the top internationally, all for a fraction of what would be spent on one local PBA team," he added.

The team also showed readiness after Lomotos, Aquino and Oranza finished first, second and third in the 150-kilometer Araw ng Lalawigan ng Tarlac bikefest that was sanctioned by PhilCycling last week.

This same squad also finished second overall in the fourth edition of LBC Ronda Pilipinas last February in a field composed of older and more seasoned riders.