SOME 350 riders from Davao City and neighboring areas are expected to race for honors in the two-day 82nd Araw ng Davao cycling competition set Saturday and Sunday, March 9 and 10 in separate venues.
Joselle Badilla, representing co-organizers Tropang Trumpo and raceLink, said they are eyeing 150 entries in road bike and 200 in mountainbike.
Aside from Dabawenyos, participants will also come from General Santos City, South Cotabato and Kidapawan City.
She said the first day will be the road bike criterium at Crocodile Park. It features the youth 18-below, open elite, masters 45-above and executive categories. Cash prizes at stake are P3,000, P2,000, P1,000 and P500 to the top four finishers.
On Sunday, the five-man mountainbike (MTB) team competition will cover the flat and hilly terrains of Barangays Maa, Langub, Matina Biao, Biao Escuela, Magtuod, Waan, Tigatto and Buhangin.
MTB categories are ladies, funride and five-member team.
“The five-man team is a composition of elite, youth 18 and below, jun-sen-vet 19 to 44, master (45-above) and fatboy riders,” Badilla said during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao Thursday.
Trophies, medals and cash prizes await winners. The team champion will receive P12,000 while the runner-up will get P8,000. The next three placers will take home P5,000, P3,000 and P2,000.
Registration is P150 inclusive of race kit, lunch pack and certificate of participation.
She added that a bigger race will be held in August during the Kadayawan sa Dabaw. “Sir Mikey Aportadera of the city sports office wants the race to start here and reach Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur,” she said in the vernacular.
The bikefest is part of the annual Araw ng Davao Sports Festival funded by the city government of Davao through the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO).
Interested riders may contact Joe at mobile number 0938-1939409 or Joselle at 0933-4648855.