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MANILA – Nino Surban showed why he is a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games silver medalist after winning the men's elite gold in the national trials for mountain bikes of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) in Danao City over the weekend.
Surban, who captured a silver in the men's cross-country event during the 2019 SEA Games in Tagaytay, just needed one hour, 22 minutes and 11.21 seconds to clear a six-lap course of three kilometers each lap over the hills of Sitio Bugho in Barangay Sandayong Sur to take the win.
Jericho Rivera captured the silver after finishing the race a shade under one hour and 25 minutes, while Mark Valderama came in third at a little under one hour and 26 minutes for the bronze.
In the women's side, Ariana Dormitorio won the gold after crossing the finish line at 1:29:50.75.
Nicole Quinones, daughter of 2003 SEA Games gold medalist Eusebio, got the silver medal in her women's elite debut with a 1:42:12.89 clocking.
Pamela Jane Ruiz clinched bronze in 1:48:25.24.
The women's elite trial was raced in a five-lap course also of three kilometers per lap.
Meanwhile, Gart Gaerlan won the men's junior race after finishing a four-lap race of 12.4 kilometers in total in 1:03.27.73.
Athena Magpantay, on the other hand, won the women's race after clocking in at 1:11:11.44.
Both Gaerlan and Magpantay also captured the 15-16 age group titles.
The other age group winners were Julius Raphael Cabatingin (11-12), Jhon Andry Labuga (13-14).
The national trials were the first cycling races that took place amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the first since the completion of the 2020 Ronda Pilipinas season.
“Cycling is back,” PhilCycling head Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Monday.
Meanwhile, Danao City Sports Commission chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez, also cycling's vice chairman, lauded the cyclists for keeping a competitive form as if there is no pandemic at all.
“The results showed our cyclists stayed in competitive form even during the pandemic. Everyone wanted to return to action,” Rodriguez said. (PNA)
