Danao to host Asian MTB Championship on May 2

CEBU, Philippines — Over 200 elite mountainbikers from all over Asia will vie for supremacy in the Asian Mountain Bike Championships slated on May 2 in Danao City.

This is the first time since 21 years that Danao will be hosting this prestigious race.

The five-day event features cross country and downhill divisions divided into men, women and relay categories.

The cross country race is a 4.5-kilometer race course starting and ending in Barangay Manlayag Patag, while the downhill event will have a more challenging terrain with a distance of 1.5-kilometer from Manlayag Patag to Barangay Cogon Cruz.

"We are now 80 percent ready. Technical officials coming from Switzerland will be arriving this week to check the race course while the participants will be coming this weekend," said Danao City Sports Commission chairman Oscar "Boying" Rodriguez Jr. in a press conference yesterday at the Maayo Hotel.

Riders from 18 countries have confirmed their participation including delegates from China and Japan, while 19 of the country’s top bets are joining in the likes of Ariana Dormitorio and Niño Surban.

"Danao City is blessed to have a terrain that is fit for this event. Let's make the Philippines proud because the opportunity to host is really precious and let's show the home crowd what Filipinos are made off," said fifth district representative Ramon Red Durano IV.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (Philcycling) and is officiated by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) National and International Commissaries. (FREEMAN)