Quiñones tops masters race

CEBU, Philippines - Longtime Philippine team member Eusebio "Eboy" Quiñones relived his glorious days at the dreaded Manlayag-Patag tracks in Danao City yesterday after he dominated not only his class, but the entire masters division in the first day of action in the opening round of the 2015 ASEAN Mountainbike Cup.

Quiñones, silver medallist in the 2005 SEA Games also in Danao, could never be happier to be back in his former training ground  and win again.

'Ang saya talaga. Last year, di ko natapos yung karera. Nasa elite pa ako nun. Ngayon, napayagan na nila akong sumali sa masters kaya masayang-masaya ako at nanalo na naman," said Quiñones after his first race and victory for the year.

The 42-year-old Quiñones, who is under the masters C (40-44 age group), finished the 10.95-kilometer race in one hour, one minute and 35.97 seconds to earn a double gold as he also emerged the fastest among all 13 entries in the masters category.

Julius Ahleem Zape of 7-Eleven All-Terra-BMC, who topped masters A, was second to Quiñones with the time of 1:14:38:14, while Inikinian Tattoo's Jun Duron landed at third with a 1:14:38.14 clocking.

Zape and Duron had a 1-2 finish in masters A, while Roentgen's Jundeb Andre Esquivel placed third. Pelden Dorji, the lone entry from Bhutan and a first-timer in any Asian UCI-sanctioned race, finished fourth.

In the masters C, Quiñones was trailed by Franzia's Ramonito Espinosa with 1:11:39.13.

In the masters B (35-39), John Paul Las Pinas of Ati Outdoor Shop-Ground Zero came out on top with the time of 1:16:31.94. Nilo Estayo bagged the second place honors in 1:21:33.49, while Jeis Aguila wound up third.

Danao's hometown pride Ronnie Mana-ay topped the masters D (45-above) with the time of 1:19:51.59. Faruk Jorg Martin Bar was second followed by Prima-Isuzu Dmax's Joseph Iballa.

The top 10 overall in the masters action were Quiñones, Zape, Duron, Lapinas, Ronnie Mana-ay, Estayo, Espinosa, Germany's Faruk Jorg Martin Bar, Esquiel and Joseph Iballa.

A fun race spiced up the start of the two-day tilt, with Mandong's Emmanuel Pedroza ruling the two-lap action. The second to ninth placers were Axl Canedo, Gold Morgado, Jowie Natak, Jonathan Briones, Rico Jardinian, Ray Evans Barrera, Nestor Morgado, and Nestor Morgado.

A more demanding and heart-stopping race is expected today with the staging of the downhill finals and the cross-country elite competition along with the juniors battle that is part of the World Juniors Series. (FREEMAN)