PhilCycling Tagaytay City Criterium: Krogg, Hualda strike gold

MANILA, Philippines -- Maritanya Krogg remained unbeatable and Ronnel Hualda nosed out his fellow veterans on Day 1 of the PhilCycling Tagaytay City Criterium 2025 on Wednesday.

Krogg won the Women’s Youth (under 17) gold medal with plenty to spare — she crossed the finish on Crisanto de los Reyes Avenue in front of the new Tagaytay City Velodrome 39 seconds ahead of silver medalist Yvaine Osias and almost a minute over third-placer Princess Jaydee Pancho.

A consistent gold medalist in the PhilCycling National Road Championships and Batang Pinoy Nationals, Krogg also bagged a P3,000 cash prize staked in the race organized by the PhilCycling and presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and the Philippine Olympic Committee and Tagaytay City headed by Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Hualda, on the other hand, topped a sprint finish in the Men’s Masters B (40-up), beating by under two bike lengths Romeo Camingao and Marc Galedo in the event raced over a 2.1-km rectangular circuit over Crisanto de los Reyes, Isaac Tolentino, Acle and Mahogany Avenues.

Hualda, Camingao and Galedo clinched P5,00, 3,000 and P2,000, respectively, with Alvin Benosa, also a Tour veteran, and Resty Aragon finishing in the cash prize circle of the event that has as backdrop the Tagaytay City Velodrome, the country’s first indoor, 250-meter wooden track facility that is of International Cycling Union standard.

Daniel Cortero, Jerick Cabael and DJ Perez finished 1-2-3 in the Men’s Youth (under 17) category, while Juan Carlos Barrios, Leonel Dimaano and Joey de los Reyes completed the podium in the Men’s Masters A (30-39) class.

Medals and cash prizes are at stake in the three-day event that also features races in the Men and Women Under-23 category on Thursday and Elite on Friday, besides PhilCycling national ranking points.