PhilCycling holds national championships in bubble setup

MANILA, Philippines — Re-elected PhilCycling president Abraham Tolentino vowed to hold its national championships for road race, mountain bike and BMX next year with or without the vaccine for COVID-19.

Tolentino, who also received a fresh mandate as Philippine Olympic Committee president a month ago, said they would adopt the same setup used by the Philippine Basketball Association in its successful Clark bubble.

Clark or Subic is being eyed as venue for road race while Tagaytay City is a prospect as battleground for BMX and mountain bike.

That is apart from the calendared races like the LBC Ronda Pilipinas and the Le Tour de Filipinas.

“If the PBA could do it in Clark, we could do the same in the same venue, in Subic and Tagaytay,” said Tolentino.

The cycling chief is also prioritizing qualifying cyclists to the Tokyo Olympics and the country’s preparation for next year’s Hanoi Southeast Asian Games and Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games where BMX is included.

He received a fresh mandate in a poll held at the East Ocean Palace restaurant in Pasay City.

Also keeping their posts were chairman Albert Lina, vice president Oscar Rodriguez and board members Moe Chulani, Jun Lomibao, Juancho Ramores, Paquito Rivas, Carlos Gredonia, Marcus Andaya and Jojo Villar.

Newly elected officers were treasurer Alejandro Vidallo, auditor Greg Monreal and board members Sunshine Joy Mendoza and Erwin Bollozos, with Billy Sumagui being re-appointed as secretary-general.

Bones Floro, the POC membership committee chairman, attended the event as POC representative.