Five Filipino cyclists to compete in Bahrain next month

Filipino cyclists to compete in Bahrain next month (Flickr Photo)

MANILA—A five-member team led by Marella Salamat will compete in the Asian Cycling Championships slated to be held on Feb. 24 to March 3 in Bahrain.

This was announced over the weekend by national coach Cesar Lobramonte, who has submitted the names of Salamat, Avegail Rombaon, Irish Wong, Tomas Mojares and Aidanjames Mendoza to the Bahrain Cycling Association.

The Asian Cycling Championships will have two competitions, namely the 37th Asia Road Race Elite Cycling Championships and the 24th Asian Road Junior Championships. Both tournaments feature Individual Time Trial (ITT), Criterium and Road Massed Start events.

Salamat and Rombaon will see action in the elite tournament while Wong, Mojares and Mendoza will join the junior tournament.

Lobramonte said the cyclists are gearing up for their month-long training in Bugallon, Pangasinan, where Salamat is also based. The national coach noted the hot and windy weather in Bugallon is similar to Bahrain’s weather.

The last time the Philippines won a medal at the Asian Road Championship was in 2011, courtesy of Rustom Lim’s bronze in the road massed start junior division.

The Bahrain-bound riders are members of the Corratec Pilipinas Cycling Club.