Cycling chief Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino disbanded the national team yesterday and formed a new squad anchored on Mark Galedo and Ronald Oranza, arguably two of the country’s best riders in terms of road savvy and international experience.
“We’re looking at the future,” said Tolentino, president of PhilCycling. “I’m disbanding the team to replace it with a group of young cyclists who are capable of winning for us in international races.”
Tolentino, also a Cavite representative, said the national team of under-23 riders will train overseas and join top-rated races in Europe under American coach Chris Allison.
Galedo, a three-time local Tour winner who rides for 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines, will compete in the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea set Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 along with Oranza, an all-around performer from LBC-MVP Sports Foundation.
They will be joining Filipino-American BMX riders Daniel and Christopher Caluag as the only cycling entries for the country in the Incheon Games.
Tolentino said LBC riders Ronald Lomotos, Rustom Lim and Junrey Navarra were also included in the new-look national team together with 7-Eleven’s Mark Bordeos and George Oconer of Philippine Navy.
Lim and Oconer finished strong in a Tarlac race a few weeks back while Lomotos, Navarra and Bordeos wound up in the podium of Tuesday’s trials for the national squad.
Lomotos, who finished 40th in the back-breaking 1.2 Zuid Oost Drenthe Classic in Europe last April, topped the 130-kilometer ride that began and ended in Tagaytay City.
Also being considered for the team are 7-Eleven/Road Bike PH’s Rudy Roque, Dominic Perez, Ryan Boots Cayubit and Johnmark Camingao.