Wednesday, October 18, 2006 15 of RP’s finest riders to see action in 15th Asian Games
TOUR Pilipinas champions Warren Davadilla and Arnel Quirimit and 2005 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Baby Maritess Bitbit will lead the 15-strong RP cycling team in its quest for glory in the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in December.
Bitbit, who used to train in Danao City under the auspices of Danao City Councilor Oscar "Boying" Rodriguez, will be competing in the women's individual time trial and massed start of the road race, and in the three-km individual pursuit and points race in track cycling.
Quirimit and Davadilla will spearhead RP team's campaign in the road bike alongside the core of the team, which qualified out of the 2006 Asian Cycling Championships in September in Kuala Lumpur.
Inspired
The other members of the RP national road cycling team, which was cited by Philcycling president Bert Lina as "perhaps one of the best-inspired" RP cycling teams ever, are Santy Barnachea, Frederick Feliciano, Ericson Obosa and John Ricafort.
In the track cycle race of the Asian Games, the Philippines will be bannered by Alfie Catalan, Paulo Manapul, Carlo Jasul, Alvin Benosa, the veteran Paterno Curtan, Jan Paul Morales, Edwin Paragoso and Arnold Marcelo.
The RP men's track cycling team qualified for the Asian Games from the Track Asia Cup 1 and 2 in Ipoh (Malaysia) and Bangkok (Thailand) in August.
Support
Lina, who has thrown his full support to the cyclists, said that aside from the gold medal, also among the team's target is regaining RP's supremacy in cycling.
"This team is perhaps one of the best inspired and I am confident our riders will be pouring in their best for flag and country," he said.
Davadilla, Quirimit and Feliciano will be competing in the massed start race in road bike; Bitbit for massed start and individual time trial (ITT) for women; Quirimit for men's ITT; and Quirimit, Davadilla, Obosa, Barnachea and Ricafort for team time trial. (JSV)
