VeloExpo and the Mark Ylanan Road Race

There are two exciting events this weekend that you shouldn’t miss.

If you’re a cyclist and looking for eye candy, it's coming near you this weekend.

The 5th VeloExpo will be held at the SM Northwing this coming weekend.

According to Mike Flores, the event organizer, the VeloExpo is a “showcase of builds from bicycle enthusiasts from all over the Philippines, from vintage, to the most modern rigs you'll see in the market.  It's basically a gathering for people who love and breathe bicycles.”

At the same time, “this will be an opportunity to invite and entice onlookers to take up cycling as a hobby and a lifestyle. Big bonus that the show is in a mall.”

If you want to see bikes that you can only see on your cellphones and computers, this is the event to go. During the early editions of VeloExpo, some participants from as far as Luzon and Mindanao joined the event. Even at the height of the pandemic, the VeloExpo didn’t miss the beat.

There will also be a contest regarding the lightest bike (The weigh-in is the most thrilling part if you ask me), the best bike, and this includes a plethora of categories like modern, retro, fat bikes, single speed,  MTB, etc.

Actually, Cebu Cycling’s Bike show preceded VeloExpo. It was just an event organized  and enjoyed by pure road bike enthusiasts. Then Mike turned it into something bigger and more successful.  

If I’m not mistaken, there will also be an open forum about bike safety and bike racing which should interest you.

This event would not have been possible if not for the support of businesses owned and managed by cycling aficionados. Mike also credited his friend and most especially his family for standing by.

The Mark Ylanan Memorial Cycling Classic

The Mark Ylanan Memorial Cycling Classic, which will be held on Sunday, June 19, 2022. The race is organized by the family of the late Mark Ylanan and his nephew, Jack Ylanan. Mark wasn’t just a good cyclist in his age group but also an exceptional community leader, a good businessman and was a department head of TESDA before he passed away five years ago. IMO, Mark was the best race director I have worked with. There was no BS in him- if you violated the rules, he would enforce it, no matter who you were.

This is the third running of this race which was interrupted by the pandemic. The route isn’t easy but its by no means hard. It starts in Labangon, then proceeds to Naga and then takes the Uling climb before proceeding to Toledo City. From Toledo, the peloton turns south towards Aloguinsan where they will turn left again towards Mantalongon where the race will end. The total kilometer in this race is 90km.

If you’re interested, kindly go to the FB page of the event, “Mark Ylanan Memorial Cycling Classic”. The registration details, prizes, and registered participants are all there. I hope that Mark’s better half, Ellen, will continue to support this event and keep the memory of Mark alive.

Finally, I would like to send out my condolences to the family and friend of Alan Dungog, who passed away yesterday doing the thing he loved. I have known Alan since the early 90’s and he was one of the most passionate cycling competitors that I know. Ride in Peace, Alan!