00:00More than 700 cyclists came to Tagaytay City for the opening of the Philz Cycling National Championships this Monday.
00:08The full details in Rafael Banderet's report.
00:19The best cyclist in the Philippines swam on the first day of the Philz Cycling National Championships for Road this Monday in Tagaytay City.
00:29The event started at the Criterium Races for the categories of Men and Women Elite, Under 23, Junior and Youth.
00:39From the starting point at the Praying Hands Monument in Sky Ranch,
00:43the cyclists rode the 2.1-kilometer circuit at Isaac Tolentino Avenue and Akle Street, Mahogany and Crisanto Tolentino Streets,
00:53returning to the Praying Hands where the finish line is also located.
00:58Not only are the medals included in the National Championships this year,
01:02but it will also serve as an opportunity for the national team to determine who should form the national team.
01:11However, the 24-year-old Joseph Javiniar could not be trusted when he won the Elite Men category.
01:21He finished the race in 35 minutes and 42 seconds.
01:28Joseph's dream is to be part of the national team and to be part of international competitions such as the Southeast Asian Games in December.
01:39I am very excited to be part of the national team for the first time.
01:48Back-to-back gold medals were won by veteran Jermaine Prado.
01:55The 31-year-old cyclist crossed the finish line in 36 minutes and 24 seconds.
02:04Like Joseph, he also got his attention in the 33rd Sea Games in Daraos, Thailand.
02:12For me, first or second, it's still a win.
02:18It's always better if there are only two or three of us in the breakaway,
02:24rather than many of us because I don't have a rematch, I don't have a bunch sprint.
02:28So, it's better that I kept the group away until the finish line.
02:35Phil Cycling Director Jun Lumibao is not surprised by the huge turnout of the national championships this year.
02:43According to Lumibao, this is just the beginning of the rise of the competitive cycling community in the Philippines.
02:52It's not really surprising that more than 700 registered.
02:56That's how big the cycling community now is in the Philippines.
03:01When I say cycling community, I mean the competitive cyclists.
03:04From 12-year-old, 13-year-old, until 39, 40 years old.
03:09So, it's really, we need so much to accommodate all of them.
03:13But we can only accommodate that much.
03:16From now until the weekend, the races will continue here in Tagaytay City for different categories of road bikes.
03:26The natural event will end on Friday, the last day of February.
03:31From Tagaytay City, Rafael Bandeirel, for Atletang Pilipino, for the new Philippines.
