Quiñones dominates 170 km road race

MANILA, Philippines –  The “uragon” trait came in handy for Bicolano rider Eusebio Quiñones as he dominated the National Open Cycling Championships’ centerpiece 170-km open road race from Quezon City Hall to Mabitac via Antipolo and down to Amoranto Velodrome yesterday.

Tucked in a neck-and-neck race with Dante Cagas entering the last three kilometers, the pride of Basud, Daet, Camarines Norte took advantage of a slim opening in traffic-hit Scout Chuatoco, passing through a gutter to pull away from his closest rival heading into the finish line.

Quiñones of Roosevelt Cycling Club checked in at 4:42:46.26 while Cagas of Philippine Navy, who tried in vain to catch up in the two-lap velodrome ride, came in at 4:42:58.36. Former Tour champion Warren Davadilla of Sibuyan AFP bucked leg cramps he suffered some 57 kms to the finish to wind up third at 4:45:42.63.

The 37-year-old Quiñones caught up with Cagas and Davadilla in the lead pack at Teresa town and never let the opportunity slip away. It was reduced to a two-cornered race, though, as cramps-hit Davadilla, who even had to take 10 steps to climb an area in Teresa, could no longer keep in step with the two.

“Me and Cagas were alternating the pace from the Batasan area and it was in Sct. Chuatoco where I broke away. I really pushed on the action in the last 500 meters and managed to go ahead by some 30 meters,” Quiñones said in Filipino.

For his part, Cagas said in Filipino: “It was still close until Quiñones found a gutter and passed through it to break away from traffic and gain a headstart going to the Velodrome.”

It was Quiñones’ second gold in the six-day bikefest held under the auspices of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines and backed by Gatorade, Pepsi, Magnolia Water and New San Jose Builders. He earlier topped the mountain bike cross country event held at Timberland in San Mateo, Rizal.

Rounding up the top five in the road race were Alvin Binosa of Roosevelt and Hilson Mangahis of Taguig, who logged identical 4:52.03.45 clocking.

Sharing the limelight in the final day of competitions were Roosevelt’s Dancel Yaranon, who conquered the sprint event, and teammate Arnold Marcelo, who stamped his class in keirin race.

Yaranon clocked 12.86 seconds to beat teammate Jan Paul Morales (12.99) and Taguig’s Joel Balucos (13.14) for the plum while Marcelo posted 4:08.69 to rule his event at the expense of Morales (4:08.76) and Taguig’s Virgilio Quintia (4:08.88).