THE PHILIPPINES’ Boots Ryan Cayubit put his familiarity with the highly technical course to good use yesterday to capture the men’s criterium gold medal in the 2016 World University Cycling Championships in Tagaytay City.
The 24-year-old Cayubit negotiated the tough 1.8-km course with aplomb, tallying 19 points to best Germany’s Alexander Weifenbach by the slimmest of margins.
Benefitting from his recent training in the Sierra Madre, the Business Administration sophomore at St. Clare in Caloocan City checked in first in the 12th and 18th laps and second in the 24th lap. Battling cramps, Cayubit yielded the 24th and 30th laps to the German.
The race actually ended in controversial fashion as the German team felt Weifenbach should have been awarded a point in the first lap. But a review showed the German actually finished fifth.
Only four of the 47 riders entered finished the race.
“I was nervous before the result came out,” said Cayubit.
Australia’s Cyrus Monk bagged the bronze with 11 points. Cedelf P. Tupas