With no token Asiad stints anymore, cycling first to hold PH qualifying

With Asian Games (Asiad) berths now needing qualifying points, Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino is taking the lead in his own federation, PhilCycling,” by announcing on Monday a schedule that would determine national cyclists for the 2026 Asiad in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

“The early schedule provides our national coaches more window to prepare for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games and the 2026 Asian Games, which, for the first time, will be setting up qualifying events not only for cycling but in all sports,’’ said Tolentino.

The PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2024 has been penciled from Feb. 5 to Feb. 9 with Tagaytay City as hub.

Team Philippines brought home four gold medals capped by a historic victory by Gilas Pilipinas in men’s basketball in the Hangzhou, China, edition a couple of months back.

Other Hangzhou golds

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena and jiu-jitsu grapplers Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez also struck golds on top of the two silver medals of boxer Eumir Marcial and wushu’s Arnel Mandal apart from 12 bronze medals that ranked the country at 17th overall among 45 countries.

Tolentino emphasized that PhilCycling is bound to strengthen the national track team for men and women as the federation anticipates a 250-meter indoor velodrome that would rise in Tagaytay where he is mayor.

Medalists in the Philippine National Games (PNG) and the Batang Pinoy next month will be considered for a call-up to the national championships.

Participating cyclists will race in individual road race, criterium and individual time trial (ITT) for men and women in youth (under 16), juniors (17-18) and under 23 and elite divisions.

The top 10 finishers in each of the events in the 2023 national championships and the top 25 in the PNG-Batang Pinoy races are seeded to the road championships next year.

Ranking points will be awarded to the top 25 riders in sanctioned races this year for consideration to the national championships, where a maximum of 90 riders will compete in the individual road race and 60 each in the criterium and ITT across all categories. INQ