Top riders target national crown as road cycling races get going

Riders in the national and continental teams spearhead a field of talented cyclists as the PhilCycling National Championships for Road kicks off Friday and Saturday in Subic and Bataan.

At stake is the right to wear the coveted national champion’s jersey in the Men and Women Elite, Under-23 and Junior categories, according to PhilCycling President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

The national championships highlight the PRU Ride PH 2018, a cycling festival staged annually by Pru Life UK. The event will be graced by Filipino-American Coryn Rivera, one of the world’s best women elite riders who won last year’s Tour of Flanders in Belgium.

“The national champion’s jersey is the most prestigious jersey a cyclist riding for his country would ever want to wear,” Tolentino, also a congressman from Tagaytay City, said.

Tolentino is expected to grace the races, along with PhilCycling chair Alberto Lina and its secretary general, lawyer Billy Sumagui and Pru Life UK senior vice president and chief marketing officer Allan Tumbaga.

Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Mark John Lexer Galedo and Marella Vania Salamat will lead the riders.