Cycling groups battle for Asiad spots in unification races

A unification match between the riders of two warring cycling factions will be held in different venues to determine the members of the team which will represent the country in the Guangzhou Asian Games.

The groups, headed by Mayor Babol Tolentino (PhilCycling) and Col. Arnulfo Taberdo (Integrated Cycling), will strut their wares first in the track event, which will be held at the Amoranto Velodrome in Quezon City on Monday (July 19).

Called Koten Unification Races National Qualifying event, male and female qualifiers will try to earn spots in events like Sprint, 1-Kilometer Individual Time Trial, 4-Kilometer Individual Pursuit, Olympic Sprint, Team Pursuit Keirin and Points Race on Monday and Tuesday.

The Road Race Individual Time Trial and massed start will be held inside the Subic Bay on July 23 and 24. Then, on July 25, elite riders will try to qualify in the Downhill and Cross Country events for mountain bike.

“This will be fun, it’s all system’s go for the unification races," said Asian Games chef de Mission Jose Romasanta,.

In another development, former Southeast Asian Games gold medallists Victor Espiritu and Alfie Catalan will not be competing in the qualifiers.

Espiritu, however, will still be part of the qualifying event as a coach while Catalan is pursuing a career with the Philippine Army. - RCJ/Perry Legaspi, GMANews.TV