By Rey Anthony Chiu, PIA Bohol | 10:15 AM June 13, 2021
A Boholano cyclist completed the 5.4 kilometer internationally rated bike course 41 seconds ahead of his closest rival to top the Youth category 13-14 Philcycling National mountainbike Trials in Danao City Cebu, June 12.
John Andry Labuga is among the three-man team which Sagbayan local government sponsored to the Cross Country Olympics and national downhill qualifiers.
The team is composed of United Sagbayan Cyclists (USC) big names Archie Viodor Enad and Nicole Joshua Gambe, who played in the 19-29 age category.
Labuga, who donned on the light-blue USC official jersey with race number 18 finished the three-lap race loop which feature grueling uphill and downhill switch backs that demand continuous spinning, in 24:21.
Sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international cycling governing body, the 2021 National Mountain Bike Cross Country Olympic and Down Hill Championships in Danao City set June 11-13, 2021 and August 27-29, 2021 respectively, was set as elite men and women cross country National Team qualifier for the South East Asia Games in Vietnam this December.
Set for elite men and women, juniors and youth national team qualifier, the Independence Day race in Sandayong Danao City, in Cebu, also opened for Age Category races, where Labuga was a competitor in the 13-14 years old.
Labuga came ahead by 41 seconds, of jersey #15 John Richmond de Guzman, 47 seconds ahead of third placer jersey #4 Luis Angelo Soriano, 1:14 seconds ahead of fourth placer with jersey #16 Joachin Dogelio and fifth placer with jersey #1 Alenjen Agbayani who finished 1:16 seconds later.
Labuga was among the 23 cross country cyclists, where 1 registered bike did not start the race.
Winning the race puts one youth cyclist in the scopes of the scouts for the national team members, for international youth cycling competitions.
Meanwhile, in the 19-29 age group category, another Boholano USC biker from Sagbayan finished sixth in a 5 lap 5 kilometer race course.
Archie Viodor Enad wearing jersey #6 of USC Sagbayan LGU Team finished the cramping prone race course in 1:02:33 seconds, some 4:41 seconds after the race champion # 32 Raymond Cloma who crossed the finish line on top of a steep graded climb 57:48.
Another Boholano who is now in Cebu, from FJB Bikehubs and Motorparts of Cebu and former Taga Bukid Cyclist and Dagohoy biker Victor Justol Biongcog wearing Jersey #19 finished tenth with a time of 1:05:44.
Finishing 12th in the race is yet another Boholano and a Paseo de Loon /AIWA racer from Garcia Hernandez, @John Mark Acman wearing Jersey #1, biking the loop five times at 1:06:17.
At 13th, jersey #25 Nicole Joshua Gambe finished the race at 1:06:22.
Today, June 13, the races continue with Bohol elite riders Nicho Biol Lumay (Batuan), (Yuki Inting) York Ace Inting (Tagbilaran), Mark Azarcon Mark Lester Azarcon (Tagbilaran) pedaling and dancing their bikes best in the muddy slippery single trails complete with technical segments, to get to the athlete’s farm of the Philippine Team. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)
