Opening Ceremonies to mark start of 2026 edition of MPTC Tour of Luzon

 

The revival of the race of the summer continues as the 2026 edition of the MPTC Tour of Luzon gets kickstarted with the Opening Ceremonies and Team Presentations on Tuesday at CaSoBe in Calatagan, Batangas.

Dubbed as "A Heritage in Motion," 91 riders split into thirteen teams are set to display their shiny jerseys as an appetizer for the grueling road ahead, featuring fourteen stages traversing the biggest island in the Philippines.

Set to address them in the ceremony, which starts at 5pm, are Philippines Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio, and the tour's Chief Organizer and CEO Arrey Perez, which will also feature a message from Philippine Olympic Committee president and concurrently the head of PhilCycling, the national sports association for cycling, Abraham Tolentino, as well as opening remarks from NLEX Corporation president and general manager Luis Reñon.

In addition, gracing the event are Mediaquest Holdings Inc President and CEO Ricky Vargas, who also is a member of the Board of Directors for the tour's Organizing Committee, as well as Games and Amusements Board chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera, Calatagan Mayor Rico Puno and Cardinal Santos Medical Center president and CEO Raul Pagdanganan.

Also among the distinguished guests are noted cycling enthusiast and MMDA General Nicolas Torre III, who was one of the participants in Sunday's Heritage Race for cycling executives, and the family of the late cycling patron Albert Lina.

Aside for the messages, the ceremony will feature the handover of the MPTC Tour of Luzon Perpetual Trophy from inaugural champion MPTC DriveHub back to the organizers. In order to keep this trophy, they will need to win this upcoming edition and the next one after that.

Concluding the events on Tuesday will be a fireworks display on the shore off Balayan Bay.

Race proper begins on Wednesday with a festive and booming Grand Departure starting at 9am, with Stage 1 set to conclude at Tagaytay City. It is the lone stage in Southern Luzon with the start of Stage 2 taking place in Clark. In a tour first, it will feature a couple of Hors Category climbs, with one on the tenth stage from Candon City, Ilocos Sur to Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Norte, as well as on the final stage from Lingayen Pangasinan to John Hay Hotels in Baguio City.

Returning to defend his individual crown and leading the foreign contingent in the tour is Joo Dae Young of Gapyeong Cycling Team, one of two Korean teams participating.

The rest of the foreign legion are comprised of Seoul Cycling Team, LCW UAE Cycle, CCN Factory Racing (Hong Kong), Ponti Wijaya Racing Team (Indonesia), and the Malaysian National Team.

Aside from the defending champions MPTC DriveHub, representing the Philippines are known continental players 7-Eleven CLIQQ Roadbike Philippines and Go For Gold Philippines, as well as Standard Insurance Philippines, DReyna Orion Cement Pro Cycling Team, Excellent Noodles, and Pangasinan Cycling Team.

The MPTC Tour of Luzon is co-presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, and supported by the MVP Group of Companies and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), while also aligned with the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NSTIAC). 

Details about the race are in the official website tourofluzoncycling.com and its corresponding Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tourofluzoncycling.

China dominates as Asian Track Cycling championships concludes

PHILCYCLING president Bambol Tolentino awards medals to winners from Kazakhstan. (c/o PhilCycling)

China came, competed and conquered with host Tagaytay City and the Philippines emerging as co-big winners in the 45th Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships and 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships that ended Tuesday.

“The Philippines—and specifically the Tagaytay CT Velodrome—now have its own niche in the global track cycling map,” said Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Wednesday, the day after the championships concluded with China running away with a dominant 18 gold medal haul and Uzbekistan scooping 17 golds to rule the para cycling competitions with a flourish.

The Tagaytay CT Velodrome will turn only a year old from its inauguration in June last year but made one gigantic pedal to be on the world cycling map following the hosting of the Asian championships which featured close to 600 world-class athletes—many from top tier—from 16 nations.

“We are now in the company of the global destinations for competitions and training in the track community and the next big step is to continue the momentum, not only in hosting international events but to go full throttle on developing our very own track cyclists,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, tempered expectations by declaring the country’s track program is “starting from scratch” but stressed that this year’s continental championships are expected to trigger enthusiasm for the discipline—both athletes, public and sponsors.

“It’s a long 31 years between hostings—1995 at the now gone Amoranto Velodrome and 2026 here at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome—it’s historic,” added Tolentino as he thanked the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak for supporting the event.

Tolentino underscored the bronze medal clinched by Patrick Gerard Lee in para men elite scratch race and the new national record in the flying 200 meters registered by Zedrick Ivan Honorica point to a bright future for Philippine track cycling.

“Yes, a Filipino rider can in track cycling,” said Tolentino, who rewarded both with cash bonuses before the championships closed on Tuesday.

Up next for the Tagaytay CT Velodrome?

“It’s a list—from completing track equipment to regularly hosting local, national, inter-club and international championships,” he said. “This was a dream that came to reality, and we’ll continue to progress on that reality.”

No less than ACC president Dató Amarjit Singh Gill showered Tagaytay City and Tolentino with accolade for hosting the event that also drew praises from athletes, coaches and team managers for the successful championships—both on the sporting aspect and the city’s hospitality.

China, meanwhile, was way up the medals race after the smoke of competitions cleared with its haul of 18 of the 44 gold medals that were at stake with its juggernaut also clinching 10 silvers and one bronze.

Japan—still trending by showcasing track bikes that cost P7 million apiece—ran second with 7-7-10 gold-silver-bronze, followed by South Korea with 5-9-7, Kazakhstan 4-5-2 and Chinese Taipei with 3-4-5.

Hong Kong China and Uzbekistan got three gold medals each and Malaysia has two, India and Singapore got one silver apiece and Indonesia two bronzes to make the count—the rest didn’t medal.

Uzbekistan complimented its 17 gold medals—out of the 48 events—with 10 silvers and seven bronzes to dominate the para cycling competitions over Malaysia (9-6-2), South Korea (9-1-3), Japan (7-2-3) and United Arab Emirates (3-5-2).

ACC prexy praises Track Cycling Championships hosting

PHILCYCLING president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (left) receives a plaque from Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) president Dató Amarjit Singh Gill (c/o PhilCycling)

The Philippines is now playing a major role in the development of track cycling in Asia with Tagaytay City and PhilCycling’s hosting of the 45th Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships and 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships.

“The Philippines is playing a major role in the development of track cycling in Asia,” said ACC president Dató Amarjit Singh Gill on the sides of the Gala Night celebrating the ACC’s 33rd foundation anniversary on Monday night at the Sigtuna Hall beside City Hall here.

“What I see is a nation stepping up—investing in world-class facilities, including a 250-meter indoor, homologated velodrome,” said Gill, also a vice president of the International Cycling Union. “This clearly places the Philippines among the emerging forces in cycling in Asia.”

Gill commended the leadership of PhilCycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and his vision in bringing to life the ACC track championships supported by the  Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

“I want to congratulate President Bambol Tolentino for his leadership, his foresight and his vision to make this happen,” he said. “Well done the Philippines.”

The brand-new Tagaytay CT Velodrome sits adjacent to another UCI-standard BMX track which was built for the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“So far, so good and in terms of hosting, we’re on cloud nine,” said Tolentino, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee. “Thank you to everyone who supported us. This is world-class and to host an international event right away makes it even more special.”

Meanwhile, powerhouse China bolstered its medal haul with four more gold medals on Monday to create more separation in the overall medals race with 17 golds, nine silvers and one bronze medal.

A far second was Japan with 5-7-9 (gold-silver-bronze), followed by South Korea (5-7-6), Chinese Taipei 3-3-5, Hong Kong China 3-1-10, Uzbekistan 3-1-4, Kazakhstan 2-5-1 and Malaysia 1-4-1.

India and Singapore has a silver medal each, Indonesia a bronze while the other teams in the 16-country championships have yet to medal.

Sichen Huang ruled the junior men omnium, Zhengyu Pei delivered in elite men individual pursuit, Haijiao Sun added another in elite men scratch race and Liying Yuan topped the women elite sprint for China on Monday.

The other gold medalists included Kaiya Ota of Japan in elite sprint, Sze Wing Lee of Hong Kong in elite women scratch race, Sawda Hasbullah of Malaysia in junior women 1-km time trial, Seokhyeon Yun of Korea in junior men 1-km time trial and Ekaterina Makarochkina of Uzbekistan in junior women omnium.

Japanese sets first Asian record at ACC Track Championships

Kaiya Ota is smiling his way to victory over China’s Li Zhiwei in the elite men sprint final. (c/o PhilCycling)

Japan’s Kaiya Ota earned his niche in the Tagaytay CT Velodrome by setting a new Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships elite men sprint record in the qualifying round before eventually winning the gold medal with relative ease.

Ota clocked 9.348 seconds in Sunday’s qualifiers to smash the previous Asian mark of 9.350 seconds he himself set at the Paris Olympics in August 2024.

The two-time Asian Games gold medalist went on to win gold but was unable to submit a better time at 9.575 seconds on Sunday, but good enough t deny China’s Li Zhiwei (9.926) an upset ride.

Ota’s fellow Japanese Olympians also stamped their class in elite men and women Madison in the championships hosted by the PhilCycling and Tagaytay City and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

Eiya Hashimoto and Kazushige Kuboki produced a masterful performance in winning the elite men Madison gold with 104 points—Kazakhstan’s Ilya Karabutov and Ramis Dinmukhametov settled for the silver medal with 82 points and Hong Kong’s Tsu Wai Chu and Kai Kwong Tso completed the podium with 65 points.

Mizuki Ikeda and Maho Kakita claimed gold for Japan in the women’s race with 53 points, beating China’s Xianbing Gong and Menghan Zhou who bagged silver with 40 points and Hong Kong’s Sze Wing Lee and Wing Yee who got bronze with 31 points.

China, meanwhile, continued to lord it over the 16-nation will also celebrate the ACC’s 33rd foundation anniversary on Tuesday (March 31), the last day of the competitions.

The Chinese got 13 gold and six silver medals, followed by the Japanese with four golds, six silvers and seven bronze medals.

In men junior keirin, Yi Kuan Lin of Chinese Taipei won gold in men’s junior and Hyerin Park of South Korea dominated the women’s race of Keirin.

Lee earns first medal for Team Philippines in Para Track Championships, Honorica sets Philippine record

Patrick Gerard Lee (c/o PhilCycling)

Patrick Gerard Lee put the Philippines on the medals board with his bronze medal in men C5 scratch race of para cycling in the Asian Cycling Confederation Track and Para Track Cycling championships on Sunday at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.

It was the first medal for the Philippines in the annual championships hosted this year by the PhilCycling and Tagaytay City—and the first continental exposure of the national para cycling team.

As importantly, Lee earned points for qualification to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.

But before Lee turned the crowd inside the Tagaytay CT Velodrome into a frenzy, a FoodPanda delivery bike rider—Zedrick Ivan Honorica—set a new Philippine record in men elite sprint using the same bike he uses in plying his trade.

Honorica’s bike? A Brain frame that costs P2,500 and a wheel set worth P12,000 which he raised from delivering food—a bicycle that astronomically pales to the equipment used by the elite countries’ riders, some breaching P7 million.

“I pushed and pushed myself, it’s a very tough race,” said Lee, 21, who lost his right forearm from under the elbow in a meat grinder at his aunt’s stall at Marilao Market when he was five years old.

“I’m really very happy because it’s for our country,” added Lee, who’s set to race again on the last day Wednesday of the championships supported by Tagaytay City Mayor Brent Tolentino and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

Uzbekistan’s Azimbek Abdullaev won the gold medal and Japan’s Ruito Kameda secured the silver but with a tough challenge from Lee—the result went down to the photo finish.

Another Filipino, Joel Inn Tacutaco, finished fifth in the 14-rider race.

Honorica? He’s not your ordinary elite cyclist—literally, he came out of nowhere.

“I race in ‘bente-bente, nothing more,” said the 21-year-old who broke the national record his fellow Marikeño and many-time tour champion Jan Paul Morales set in the Doha 2006 Asian Games.”

“I wasn’t aware of the national record, but I know Kuya JPM [Morales], him being a champion … he doesn’t know me, though,” he added.

Honorica said he’s an accidental member of the national team in the Asian championships.

“I saw a post on Facebook by national coach Gil [Virgilio Espirutu) on an invitation for a power test [informal tryouts], and I was second best … that was only last January,” he said.

Honorica clocked 10.865 seconds, beating Morales’s 20-year-old record of 11.42 seconds.

The effort landed him in 21st out of 22 riders in the event won by Japan’s Kaiya Ota in 9.348 seconds, also shaving a fraction from his previous best of 9.350.

Krog narrowly misses podium finish in Asian Track Championships

MARITANYA KROG keeps pace with riders from China, South Korea and Malaysia early in the women junior elimination race (c/o PhilCycling)

The Chinese juggernaut continued its dominance in the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Championships but it was young Maritanya Krog who captured the hearts of everyone at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.

Krog, 17, is entirely a neophyte on a velodrome like everyone else on the national team, but provided a glimpse of how Philippine track cycling’s future would be—she finished fourth in the women junior elimination race on Friday—a tad so short of the podium.

“It’s a great honor and achievement for me to be in the top four, not only because it’s my first time , but also because we had very little preparation for the championships,” said Krog, a successful junior road rider with numerous gold medals at the PhilCycling Nationals and Batang Pinoy program.

“I’m very thankful to everyone who supports me–especially my mother, my siblings and my coaches,” added Krog, daughter of former road and track national rider and now national team coach Marita Lucas. “ I’m also grateful to PhilCycling, PSC and the POC.”

Krog got the boot from Indonesia’s Alegya Keiko Hendranaya in the women junior elimination race dominated by China’s Ding Aonan with South Korea’s Lee Yun Ji getting silver.

“I was very nervous during the race because I knew I could be eliminated anytime,” Krog said. “But I kept pushing myself to stay close to the front and gave it my best.”

That was the closest to the podium finish so far by any of the 30 national track and para track athletes entered by the PhilCycling, headed by Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, in the championships hosted by Tagaytay City and Mayor Brent Tolentino and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

Wu Junjie and Ning Chen stamped their class in the elite omnium events for China, which widened its gap in the medals race with 10 golds and five silvers—seven more golds than South Korea (3-4-3 gold-silver-bronze) and eight more than Chinese-Taipei (2-2-3).

Kazakhstan (2-0-0) and Japan (1-4-7) rounded out the top five in the medal tally with only track powerhouse Malaysia breaking into the gold medal column with one complimented with two silvers and one bronze.

Junjie amassed 141 points to outclass Chinese Taipei’s Li Jing Feng (125 points)and Japan’s Tetsuo Yamamoto (125 points).

“We just need to stay focused on the competition and give our best,” Junjie said.

Chen, meanwhile, tallied 144 points for the gold, followed by Hong Kong’s Sze Wing Lee (126) and South Korea’s Jieun Shin (124).

Malaysia (4-3-1) and Uzbekistan (4-1-2) were 1-2 in the medals race in para cycling, followed by Japan (2-0-0), South Korea (1-1-0) and Indonesia (1-1-0).

Kazakhstan shone in the women’s junior Madison behind Aruzhan Kabdulova and Anel Tashbay (105 points), while Uzbekistan’s Ekaterina Makarochkina and Nadejd Barteneva finished second with 64 points and Chinese Taipei’s Ting Wen Chen and Tse Ning Chen wound up third.

Contenders emerge in ACC Track Championships

Bonzo and the rest of the Philippine contingent fell short of podium finishes but displayed determination and resilience against world-class competition (c/o PhilCycling)

The big guns from elite cycling countries didn’t disappoint as the country’s first-time hosting of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Championships got into the groove after two days of intense action at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.

Olympian Eiya Hashimoto of Japan topped the men’s elite elimination race and Sze Wing Lee of Hong Kong dominated the women's race late Thursday in the championships organized by the ACC, hosted by the PhilCycling and Tagaytay City and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Hashimoto showed he doesn’t only have the speed but the endurance as well in ruling the 14-cyclist men elite elimination race that included returning Mark Julius Bonzo, who held fort and exited at No. 11 in one of most interesting events in track cycling.

A three-time Asian Games gold medalist and 14 times winner of the Asian championships winner, Hashimoto later had good words for both the Filipino cyclists and organizers.

"The Philippine team looks good," Hashimoto, 32, said in halting English. "With the right environment and continued development, especially in the early stages of track cycling and rider development. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Philippine riders improve next year.”

China’s Junjie Wu secured the silver medal, while Uzbekistan’s Nikita Tsvetkov took the bronze in the elimination race of the championships supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

Bonzo, 36 and a former road national cyclist, stood his ground and was eliminated ahead of more experienced rivals Joe Lau of Malaysia, Harshveer Singh Sekhon of India and Manssour Ameen Alhayyan of Saudi Arabia.

Chinese-Taipei’s Sze Wing Lee showcased her strength and endurance to beat China’s Ning Chen and Japan’s Misaki Okamoto for the gold medal in the women elite elimination race.

Angeline Elvira refused to cower against the elite women’s field and also placed 11th out of 13 participants in the women’s contest of the championship hosting that drew positive remarks from International Cycling Union officials managing the races.

“It’s an ideal championship scenario,” said Frederick Chan, head of the timing and results team and also an international commissaire from Hong Kong. “The race operations have gone smoothly without any intervention or hitches and the host organizer and federation have been outstanding.”

It’s the country’s first time to host the continental championships since 1995 when the event was staged at the Amoranto Velodrome in Quezon City and PhilCycling president Abraham Tolentino, also head of the Philippine Olympic Committee, tempered expectations from the national riders.

“We’re starting from scratch and we’re learning,” said Tolentino, also head of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

South Korea’s Hyerin Park won the women junior sprint gold medal, beating Malaysia’s Nur Umairah Qhaisara Zilfikha Razar in the final, while her compatriot Yunchae Kang defeated another Malaysian, Sawda Hasbullah, in the battle for the bronze medal.

“I just trained hard. I didn’t expect to win or even reach the podium,” said Park.

China’s Liying Yuan dominated the women elite keirin at the expense of teammate Lijuan Wang with Japan’s Haruka Nakazawa completing the podium.

In the men’s junior sprint, Yi Kuan Lin of Chinese Taipei clinched the gold medal over Japan’s Daiya Yamazaki in the final.

Another Chinese Taipei rider, Zi Qi Wei, earned bronze by overcoming Korea’s Hajin Jeon in the third-place match.

China added to its medal haul in the men’s elite keirin, with Han Xie winning the gold and Zhiwei Li taking the silver. Chinese Taipei’s Shih Feng Kang settled for bronze.

Tagaytay CT Velodrome secures UCI certification

THE Philippines’ Marlen Marasigan, Althea Campaña and Angelina Elvira compete in the women junior team elite race. (photo c/o PhilCycling)

China, Chinese-Taipei and South Korea emerged as dominant forces in the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Championships as the International Cycling Union (UCI) certified the Tagaytay CT Velodrome as a Category A facility.

“We are now officially a UCI track destination,” said PhilCycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Thursday. “With a Category A homologation, we can now host world cups and even the world championships.”

The homologation certificate—signed by  UCI Track and Indoor Cycling Manager Jessika Grand Bois—came a day before Wednesday’s opening of the 16-nation, 600-athlete championships that the country is hosting for the first time in 31 years.

China, meanwhile, proved unstoppable in winning the sprint gold medals in men and women elite with Chinese-Taipei ruling the men’s junior team sprint race and South Korea bringing home the mint in women’s junior team sprint.

China clocked 42.981 seconds late Wednesday with Japan failing to finish and Hong Kong snatching silver, a feat matched by the Chinese women, who pedaled to the gold in 46.806 seconds over Malaysia and South Korea.

Yun Chieh Tsai, Yi Kuan Lin and Zi Qi Wei delivered a near-perfect ride for Chinese Taipei with a 45.314-second nail-biting finish for the gold medal—they beat the Koreans by 12 thousands of a second in the final.

Korea’s young riders delivered a commanding performance of 50.076 seconds to win the team sprint event over India and Malaysia.

Kazakhstan executed a near flawless race to earn gold, followed by Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan in the team pursuit, which the Chinese elite team also ruled in 3:48.14, maintaining a relentless tempo against Japan.

Team Philippines, on the other hand, went through its baptism of fire right at home—a performance that’s expected of the inexperienced team competing in a world-class competition.

“The disappointments are expected, but the good thing about the team is that the riders bettered themselves from training,” said PhilCycling track coach Virgilio Espiritu.

Plunging to early action in the championships were the men junior team sprint riders Prince Andrei Pedragosa, Asher Job Albo and Kaizel Jizmundo, while Marlen Marasigan, Althea Mae Campana and Angeline Elvira carried the fight in the women’s contest.

Matt Andrei Gonzalo, Archie Cardana and Marcus Gabriel Ricalde raced in the men elite team sprint race.

ACC Track Championships and Para Track Championships successfully launched in Tagaytay

THE Asian track cycling championships are on with (from left) Tagaytay City Mayor Brent Tolentino, Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio, Philippine Olympic Committee and PhiCycling president Abraham Tolentino, Asian Cycling Confederation president Dato Amarjit Singh Gill, Uzbekistan Cycling Federation secretary-general Khurshid Atakulov Bakhodirjanovich (partly hidden) and Saudi Cycling Federation President Abdulaziz Al-Shahrani declaring the competitions open at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome on Wednesday. (Photo c/o PhilCycling)

THE Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Championships got off to a rousing start on Wednesday at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome with close to 600 cyclists from 16 countries in full harness to earn titles as continental champions.

For Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, the country’s track program “is starting from scratch” amid the event’s magnitude that, admittedly, Filipino riders aren’t expected to medal.

“I don’t expect any medal or podium finish here for our track cycling team,” said Tolentino, president of both the Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling. “We’re starting from scratch … we’re still calibrating and adjusting.”

“So we will learn, little by little, and we will soon learn it,” he added.

For Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio, the championships are a dream come true—both for the country and Tolentino.

“It’s a dream come true for President Tolentino, and for the country,” Gregorio said in his speech during the well-attended, lively and colorful opening ceremony ahead of the actual races at the velodrome’s infield.

The Tagaytay CT Velodrome is a world-class cycling facility that replaced the then iconic but now demolished Amoranto Velodrome in Quezon City—a facility that served cycling since the 1960s until Tolentino built a UCI-standard track at the heart of Tagaytay City that’s now rising to become the country’s “Olympic Center.”

ACC president Datu Amarjit Singh Gill put authority and prestige to the occasion, alongside Mayor Brent Tolentino, Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barreto, Uzbekistan Cycling Federation secretary-general Khurshid Atakulov Bakhodirjanovich) and Saudi Cycling Federation president Abdulaziz Al-Shahrani.

Joining them were PSC commissioners Walter Torres and Eduardo Hayco, Tagaytay City Vice Mayor Agnes Tolentino, former Cavite governor Athena Tolentino.

“We finally hosted this event after 31 long years. And it is really a dream come true for Philippines sports,” Tolentino said. “We are thankful to ACC and UCI for helping us.”

Asian track championships fire off Wednesday (March 25) in Tagaytay City

ASIAN Cycling Confederation (ACC) president Dato' Amarjit Singh Gill and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick Gregorio lead a list of distinguished sports officials for the opening ceremony of the 45th Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships and 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships on Wednesday (March 25) at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abaham Tolentino will join Gill and Gregorio in opening the championships that the country is hosting for the first time since the 1995 edition of the annual event at the brand-new Tagaytay CT Velodrome—a UCI-standard 250-meter indoor track facility.

“This is the biggest international track cycling event that Tagaytay City, and the country for that matter, is hosting in three decades,” said Tolentino, also the president of the national sports association of cycling, PhilCycling.

“In terms of participation, we also have one of the biggest in ACC track championships history,” added Tolentino.

The opening ceremony is set at 9 a.m. and the first event starts at 10 a.m. among the more than 600 athletes from 16 Asian countries competing in track and para track.

Mayor Brent Tolentino of host Tagaytay City is supporting the championships along with the PSC, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota and Peak.

The Asian championships offer 44 gold medals, while 30 golds are staked in the para track competitions that will be held simultaneously until March 31.

Competitions in the ACC championships will be in individual and team pursuit, sprint, keirin, elimination race, omnium, points race, scratch race, Madison and 1-kilometer for both men and women categories.

The events in the para track cycling competitions are the individual pursuit, 1,000 meters time trial, sprint, elimination, scratch race and mixed team and tandem sprints.

The participating countries are Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong-China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macao-China, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and host Philippines.

Brutal climbs, breakneck sprints highlight MPTC Tour of Luzon route

Tour of Luzon CEO and Chief Organizer Arrey Perez. Photo c/o ToL

Organizers have revealed the route of the 2026 edition of the MPTC Tour of Luzon, which will cover a distance of 1,815.80 kilometers split into fourteen stages and traversing thirteen provinces in Luzon.

According to CEO and Chief Organizer Arrey Perez, "It’s a balanced route for both climbers and sprinters," emphasizing its impending unpredictability.

He also adds, "Teamwork will play a crucial role in the race, with domestiques expected to take on the challenging task of bringing their respective teams into contention for the GC [general classification]."

This year's edition, dubbed as "A Heritage in Motion," and is once again presented by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, will kick off on April 29 at CaSoBe in Calatagan, Batangas for the lone southern leg, before it moves north the next day to Clark in Central Luzon. It will then traverse through the region and cross into the Cagayan Valley, before it moves west to the Ilocos Region and finishing at the Cordillera Administrative Region, specifically at Scout Hill within Camp John Hay in Baguio City on May 13.

In highlighting the degree of difficulty, Perez notes, "Just how tough and challenging the race is can be seen in the King of the Mountain (KOM) classification, which features 25 climbs,” Meanwhile, “As for the sprints, there are 16 in total, spread across the 14 stages," he shares.

The race stages are as follows:

• Stage 1, CaSoBe (Calatagan) to Tagaytay City (150.10 km)
• Stage 2, Clark to New Clark City (43.40 km, team time trial)
• Stage 3, New Clark City to Palayan City (140.10 km)
• Stage 4, Palayan City to Bayombong (165.80 km)
• Stage 5, Santiago City to Tuguegarao City (130.60 km).
• Stage 6, from Tuguegarao City to Pagudpud, (228.90 km, marked by two KOM points)
• Stage 7, Pagudpud circuit (22.90 km, Individual Time Trial), followed by a rest day.
• Stage 8 Pagudpud to Paoay (157.40 km)
• Stage 9 Laoag City to Candon City (142.60 km).
• Stage 10 Candon City to Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur (131.20 km, includes a key climb).
• Stage 11 Candon City to San Juan (158.70 km)
• Stage 12 Agoo to Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem (146.40 km).
• Stage 13 Lingayen–Binmaley Baywalk (20.00 km, Individual Time Trial).
• Stage 14, Lingayen to John Hay Hotels via Kennon Road.

Perez also noted that with multiple teams continuing to express interest in participating in the Tour, there is a potential of surpassing the 20-team benchmark—seven riders per team—for the tour.

Organizers shared that at least five foreign teams have confirmed their participation with registration.

Feedback from the local government units where the tour will pass through has been very much encouraging.

More details are set to be revealed in the next few weeks. 

Victoria Sports Pro Cycling ready for 2026 racing season

Presenting the VSPC 2026 Roster: Riders (back row, L-R) Ismael Grospe Jr., Edson Corbadora, Pako Ochoa, Daniel Ven Cariño, Ean Cajucom, Mark Alex Barluelo, Jude Francisco, Darius John Villaseñor, Alexis Pagara, Nichol Pareja, Marcelo Felipe, and Rush Camingao, with VSPC Management Team (front row, L-Right) Lino Sembrano, Vanjoe Calimlim, Michael Reyes, and Rhyan Tanguilig.

Fresh from dominating the recent 2026 PhilCycling National Championships, Philippine premier professional cycling and UCI Continental squad Victoria Sports Pro Cycling (VSPC) marked its fourth high-octane season with the official presentation of its 2026 roster of riders – a blend of seasoned champions and explosive young talents who share the same grit and determination to conquer the world’s harshest terrains and grueling mountains in their upcoming races this year. 

At the official VSPC 2026 Team Presentation held recently at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Quezon City, the team introduced its new lineup of homegrown and international riders. This roster, along with the team’s visionary leaders, is committed to driving VSPC’s success as they prepare for their next races across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East.

VSPC recently dominated the 2026 PhilCycling National Championships, bagging multiple achievements as a bold and powerful start to the season. Jude Francisco emerged as Under 23 Criterium Champion and bagged 2nd place in the Under 23 Individual Time Trial. Edson Corbadora secured 2nd Place in the Elite Criterium while Mark Baruelo claimed the championship at the Under 23 Road Race category and finished 3rd Place in the Under 23 Criterium. Nichol Pareja secured 3rd place in the Elite Individual Time Trial, and Ismael Grospe Jr. bagged the Silver Medal in the Elite Road Race.

Pako Ochoa, VSPC’s founder, reflected on the team’s journey and evolution in his speech, emphasizing their international presence as both a privilege and a duty to showcase Filipino excellence to the world. 

“In our four years, we've covered roughly 40,000km across over 250 race days in more than 20 countries. From multiple national titles to major wins in Oman, Japan, Indonesia, and China, VSPC has competed with top teams – including UAE Team Emirates, Movistar, EF (Education First–EasyPost), and others,” Ochoa said. “What defines this team is the shared drive to represent the Filipino spirit at the highest level of the sport.” 

The VSPC 2026 Team Presentation also recognized the unwavering support of the riders’ families and friends whose steadfast belief in the VSPC vision has been instrumental in fueling the team’s momentum and collective pursuit of excellence. 

VSPC also expressed their gratitude to the team’s generous partners and sponsors, including San Miguel Corporation, SM, 2GO, Stronghold Insurance Company Inc., RC Cola, International Container Terminal Services Inc., as well as the team’s technical sponsors Specialized, Wahoo, TriPEAK, Pirelli, Cronobike Altea, Pacto, among others.  

As the 2026 racing season kicks into high gear, VSPC is set to pedal to greater heights, sprinting to plant the Philippine flag on the global professional cycling stage. For the latest updates and race schedules, follow VSPC on social media at @vsprocycling.

Familiar names atop Criterium portion of PhilCycling Road Nationals

PhilCycling National Championships

NATIONAL athletes Ronald Oranza and Jude Gabriel Francisco and Filipino-American Mary Joyce Monton dominated the Criterium races to kick start action in the PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2026 on Monday in Tagaytay City.

Oranza topped the Men Elite category, Francisco ruled the Men Under-23 and Monton, racing out of Los Angeles, was the best in Women Elite of the championships organized by the PhilCycling, headed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Edson Corbadora and Ronnilan Quita completed the Men’s Elite podium of the event raced over a 2.2-km circuit that started and finished at Tagaytay City’s Praying Hands Momument, with Marvin Mandac and Mark Alex Baruelo finishing 1-2 in the Under-23 race.

National team mainstays Maritoni Krog and Phoebe Salazar wound up behind Monton in the race presented by Standard Insurance, MVP Sports Foundation and the Philippine Sports Commission and supported by Tagaytay City Mayor Brent Tolentino and the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.

Rayven Joy Valdez, Althea Campana and Angeline Elvira reigned supreme in Women’s Under-23 of the race also backed by Excellent Noodles and 7-Eleven Philippines.

The Junior races saw CJ Cabreros, Kylle Flores and Piolo Calimlim completing the Men’s podium and Maria Louisse Criselle Alejado, Althea Nicole Coronado and Eloiza Pajarito winning the Women’s contest.

Among the other winners in the Youth categories were: Men (12-13)— Mark Terrence Orcino, Ren Axcel Pecson and Johnzoe Canasa; (Women 14-15) Allaeza Mae Gulmatico, Alessandra Nicole Paras and Princess Jaydee Pancho; and Men (14-15) Jannshen Sta. Juana, Jyohan Toledo and Louie Jerome Murillo.

Still to be contested are the Individual Time Trial and Individual Road Race events starting Tuesday until Friday.

Tagaytay to host PhilCycling Road Nationals

Mark Arvin España Armendez atop the podium during the 2023 Batang Pinoy Nationals in Tagaytay City in 2022

THE PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2026 kicks off in Tagaytay City on Monday with a Masters category now part of the program and the Men Junior category being named after a young and promising rider from Pangasinan who lost his life last January.

Gone too soon was Mark Arvin España Armendez, who was a two-time Batang Pinoy gold medalist in road (Vigan 2022 and Tagaytay City 2023), as well as in the National Championships last year in Tagaytay.

The 18-year old cycling prospect passed away last January 22 while fishing using an improvised electric devise in a swamp behind their home in Barangay Palina East in Urdaneta City.

Competitions in the event, presented by Standard Insurance and the MVP Sports Foundation will be in Men and Women Criterium, Individual Time Trial and Individual Road Race in the Youth/Junior (12-13, 14-15 and 16-17-18), Under-23 and Elite.

There will be seven age groups in the Masters races of the event, which has the traditional support of the Tagaytay City LGU, led by Mayor Brent Tolentino. Winners will secure endorsements from the PhilCycling to the Asian Cycling Confederatiion Road Championships and all other UCI-sanctioned races.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, also head of the PhilCycling, hailed a big turnout of more than 300 riders in both genders, especially in the youth category.
“This is grassroots development at work,” Tolentino said.

The Nationals are in consonance with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick “Pató” Gregorio’s emphasis on grassroots development.

Victoria Sports Pro Cycling ready for 2025 season

VSPC

Victoria Sports Pro Cycling (VSPC), the Philippines’ premier pro cycling team, gears up to sustain their unstoppable 2024 momentum and accelerates into 2025 with the aim to conquer new international racing circuits to bring greater honor and pride to the country. 

Following an impressive streak of victories this year, the team is ready to take on the world’s toughest tracks. With the team’s powerful lineup of riders, VSPC is set to make history on the global stage. From local victories to international triumphs, the team has consistently proven their capability to compete and win against some of the world’s best.

Leading the charge on the local stage, Ean Cajucom took the top spot in the Ramos Cycling Race, bringing pride to Filipino fans at home. Overseas, Nicolas Sessler won the General Classification (GC) and also won the 2nd Stage at Oman’s Tour of Salalah, while Jeroen Meijers added to the team’s success with a 3rd-place result in Stage 4.

At the Trans-Himalayan Cycling Race in China, VSPC showed their resilience, with the team securing 5th place overall. Meijers ranked 6th in the General Classification (GC), and Cajucom delivered a standout 4th-place finish in Stage 3. In Japan, they continued to make headlines at the OITA Urban Classic, where Meijers clinched the victory in the Road Race and Cajucom secured 2nd in the Criterium. The Tour de Kyushu saw more solid performances, with Meijers finishing in the top 10 in Stage 1 and Sessler showing consistency in the GC.

These achievements highlight not just individual skills but also the strength of VSPC’s collective effort. Every race reflects the dedication and synergy of the team, from strategic planning to unwavering support for one another.

As VSPC looks ahead to 2025, with invitations to the United Arab Emirates and Greece for the first part of the season, they remain focused on pushing boundaries and inspiring Filipino cyclists to dream bigger. With teamwork at their core, the team is proving that Philippine pro cycling deserves a chance at the world stage.

Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team set for Asian conquest

Victoria Sports

With the European campaign in the books, Victoria Sports Pro Cycling is set to continue representing the Philippines in the international scene of professional cycling.

Composed of Filipino riders Pako Ochoa, Daniel Ven Cariño, Edson Corbadora, Ean Cajucom, Ismael Grospe Jr., Kenneth Maramba, Miguel Omerga, Alexis Pagara, and Nichol Blanca Pareja, they are supplemented by seasoned international cyclists Jeroen Meijers from the Netherlands, José Mendes from Portugal, Edgar Nieto from Spain, and Nícolas Sessler from Brazil.

VSPC has seen some semblance of success in their recent competitions.

Pareja claimed the Individual Time Trial stage of the 2024 edition of the PhilCycling National Championships for Road, while Pagara finished third.

In the Tour de Taiwan, Meijers claimed fourth spot on its opening stage, with Sessler putting forth quality times at the Volta NXT Classic.

At the Belgrade - Banja Luka race, Sessler finished fourth on its third stage, while ending up eventually at that position in the General Classification.

Felipe claimed the King of the Mountain title in Stage 1B of the International Tour of Hellas, eventually yielding a 19th place finish overall. Meanwhile, Sessler, Mendez, and Nieto very much accounted for themselves with respectable results at the 6th Grande Prêmio Internacional Beiras e Serra da Estrela.

Lastly, the Lumba Tamo Zambales 2024 bore witness to Cajucom clinching the 150km Road Race category.

Looming in the horizon are a few races for VSPC. They will be in China for the Trans-Himalaya Cycling race on August 21-25, with Meijers, Ochoa, Nieto, Cajucom, Corbadora, and Maramba in tow, followed by the Tour of Routhe Salvation on August 30 - September 2. For this race in Turkey, it will be Sessler, Mendes, Nieto, Pareja, Pagara, and Carino, as well as Marcelo Felipe.

VSPC is also scheduled to participate in a couple more races next month: the Tour of Salalah in Oman on September 8-11 and the Oita Urban Classica Road Race on September 28.

Ochoa shares about their upcoming schedule, "We know that we have a challenging road ahead but we have a team that is determined to follow the footsteps of other great Filipino athletes and show that we can compete at the highest level."

Building on these successes, Victoria Sports Pro Cycling looks forward to the road ahead in 2025 and beyond, thanks to their tactical brilliance and signature determination.

For updates on the VSPC team and their international competitions, follow the Victoria Sports Pro Cycling on Facebook. 

Timberland Mountain Bike Park hosts 2024 edition of 7-Eleven Trail

7-Eleven Trail

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Philippine Seven Corporation, the 7-Eleven Trail cross country marathon took place at the newly-unveiled Timberland Mountain Bike Park located inside Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal last February 18.

It was the second time the competition took place at the facility, post-pandemic. Alongside the 7-Eleven Run earlier this year, these events align with PSC's dedication to foster a healthy lifestyle, as well as nurturing a strong sense of community within its network of patrons of its 7-Eleven branches nationwide.

Jose Victor Paterno, Philippine Seven Corporation President and CEO shares, "We are beyond thrilled to introduce Timberland Mountain Bike Park as the focal point of this year's 7-Eleven Trail. It definitely added an exciting dimension to the event, providing an opportunity for participants to experience a whole new thrill of mountain biking."

Over a thousand cyclists, varying from competitive cyclists to relative newcomers, embraced the challenge of going through a single-loop course that lasted forty kilometers, with the route interspersed with road climbs, fire roads, and single tracks.

To take advantage of the variety of options that the TMBP provides for cyclists, organizers split the routes to either the A-Line, a high-speed route that includes jumps, drops, sharp turns, and gaps, or the B-Line, which is a less-technical and slower lanes, but incorporates twists and curves to provide a little challenge.

In addition, the trail featured specific elements like The Skills Zone that is tailored for first-timers and novices, Point Break with its twisty, cross-country-style single track, and Enter The Dragon and its fast ridgeline descents combined with challenging technical features.

The trails were appropriately graded based on their difficulty levels, with an intuitive signage system also installed to ensure easy navigation for the riders.

Regardless of route choices, the goal of the event is to instill a sense of accomplishment upon completing the demanding race, allowing participants to savor the unique terrain of Timberland Heights’ captivating natural and scenic setting.

Emmanuel Dave Montemayor led all finishers with a time of 1:42:07, ahead of Mark Lowel Valderama (1:43:14) and Dave Rhoa (1:43:34).

In the women's category, Nicole Quinones nipped Shagne Yaoyao by three seconds to claim the victory, clocking in at 2:15:14. Finishing in third is Adel Pia Sendrijas.

Nicole is not the only one in her family who did well in the 7-Eleven Trail. Her father, Eboy, won the 55+ category, while her brother Matthew Symon clocked at 1:55:58 to finish tenth in the 19-24 age group.

Montemayor and Quinones each netted PhP25,000 for topping the overall category, while Valderama and Yaoyao got PhP15,000 as runners-up. Rhoa and Sendrijas each took home PhP10,000 as third placers.

Age Group winners received PhP7,000, while second and third placers took home PhP5,000 and PhP3,000 each.

This event was made possible through its venue partners: Timberland Heights, Timberland Highlands Resort, Timberland Mountain Bike Park, Araneta, and the municipality of San Mateo Rizal. 

Also supporting the event are Specialized, GT Bicycles Philippines, All Terra Cyclery, DJI Philippines, Coca-Cola, Wilkins, Mondelez, Selecta, Gatorade, Summit, Nature Spring, Red Bull, Black Mamba, Pocari Sweat, Enature, Delfi, Suncoast, Lipton Tea, Mister Donut, CDO Hotdog, San Marino, Jolliant, Passion Max, Trust, and 7-Eleven’s CliQQ, City Cafe & Gulp.

Ronda Pilipinas honors Moe Chulani with tribute ride

Past LBC Ronda Pilipinas champions George Oconer (right), Ronald Oranza (middle) and Jan Paul Morales lead the Ronda MeMOErial ride in San Jose, Tarlac Sunday.

To honor its late chairman Moe Chulani, Ronda Pilipinas held a tribute ride on Sunday.

Called a "A MeMOErial Ride, A Ride for Moe," it started and ended at the Tarlac Recreational Park in San Jose.

Leading this special ride are former Ronda Pilipinas champions Jan Paul Morales, Ronald Oranza, and George Oconer. Alongside them are race co-founder Dino Araneta, and Moe's brother, Ravinder.

Notable Ronda teams like Navy-Standard Insurance, 7-Eleven, Go for Gold, Army-Bicycology, and Tarlac took part, as well as the developmental team of cycling legend Placido Valdez. Executive friends of Moe also were present, among them Jeremy Go, Quin Baterna, Wilson Cheng, and Roland Cunanan.

Given the nature of the event, consent was secured from both the IATF and the Tarlac LGU in order to proceed.

Ronda Pilipinas project director Bernadette Guerrero says, "This is for Moe."

Under Chulani’s leadership, Ronda Pilipinas has staged a total of 10 multi-stage races, starting in 2011. The competition has produced some of the best cyclists in the country today, including last year’s champion Oconer.

The pandemic has forced organizers to defer the race for 2021, although they are planning to have qualifiers later this year for the 2022 edition, which is tentatively slated for February.

Cycling patron Moe Chulani passes away

A key figure in the sports scene has departed.

Ronda Pilipinas co-founder Moe Chulani passed away yesterday due to cardiac arrest.

He was 45.

Along with Dino Araneta, they founded the LBC Ronda Pilipinas, one of the premier cycling competitions in the country.

Ronda Pilipinas managed to complete its tenth edition in March last year, just before the country shut down due to the pandemic. Notable participants of this tour are national team stalwarts Ronald Oranza, George Oconer, and Jan Paul Morales.

Chulani is also a board member of PhilCycling, the National Sports Association for the sport. Before that, he had been the team manager of the Pasig Pirates of the defunct Metropolitan Basketball League.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, who also serves as the head of PhilCycling, shares, "He’s a loss in the cycling community. He’s very dedicated in cycling."

Bordeos claims Ronda Pilipinas Stage One

Mark Julius Bordeos wearing the symbolic red jersey as the overall leader.

Mark Julius Bordeos sprung a surprise and snatched the opening stage of the 10th anniversary race of LBC Ronda Pilipinas on Sunday in Sorsogon.

The 24-year-old Army-Bicycology cyclist edged out Jerry Aquino, Jr. (Scratch It), Rustom Lim (7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines), and George Oconer (Navy-Standard Insurance) in a mad dash towards the finish line.


The quartet clocked in at three hours, six minutes, and seven seconds, as they navigated in and out of the city.

On how he claimed the victory, Bordeos says, "I just stayed behind them and pulled away in the last 500 meters, I knew I can do it because I’m in top shape."

2012 champion Mark Galedo led an early breakaway of riders but faded in the end to finish fifth, three seconds behind the leaders. He did managed to secure mountain classification points in the process during that stretch.

He shared afterwards, "It would have been nice race if they had given their share but I was disheartened that no one did so I just decided to just slow down a bit."

A few seconds behind Galedo is a group led by Navy-Standard Insurance's Jan Paul Morales at 3:06:19, while the duo of Daniel Ven Carino and Jonel Carcueva of Go for Gold settled for twelfth with a time of 3:07:01.

Title favorite Ronald Oranza is in 16th place alongside Nichol Pareja at 3:07:28, while 2014 champion Reimon Lapaza cracked the top twenty clocking in at 3:07:32.

Navy-Standard Insurance seized the team classification lead with an aggregate time of 12:24:55, with 7Eleven and Celeste Cycles not that far behind with 12:27:26 and 12:27:35, respectively.

The tenth edition of Ronda Pilipinas is presented by LBC and is supported by the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation. Also backing the race are Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, Spyder, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX-SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation and PhilCycling

Stage Two is 150.6-km race from Sorsogon to Legazpi City.