RECENTLY-COMPLETED farm-to-market roads funded by the City Government of Davao will be included in the route race of the 9th Mayor Rody Duterte Cycling Challenge that will unreel on Saturday morning at the Jaltan Food Centrum along Magallanes St.
This was bared by PhilCycling vice president for Mindanao Salvador "Jun" Paholio, Jr. in press statement e-mailed this writer.
Paholio said the opening rites are set at 8 a.m at Jaltan but flag off will be at Barngay Pampanga passing Sasa, Panacan, Ilang, Tibungco then the riders will start a moderate climb when they reach Bunawan-Mahayag section.
"It will traverse on the Philippine-Japan frienship roads as riders will show their navigational skill on a steep climb on the newly-constructed 20 kilometer-stretch of Magtu-od-Calinan farm-to-market," Paholio said.
"I encourage the riders to familiarize themselves with the alternate farm-to-market roads as it will be safer for them since we still don't have a bike lane," he added.
Paholio said participants will also get to view the new sanitary landfill in Brgy. Carmen in Tugbok District in the 100-kilometer massed start race featuring top cyclists in Mindanao.
A 10-kilometer UCI rolling start will be imposed by Philcycling technical race official former SEA Games gold medalist Domonic Carpio and race marshall Randy Oca. The finish line will be handled by Ede Oca, also a former RP team member, with Engr. Carlofer Salonga, one of the best sprinter late 1990 in the Philippine team, as chief timer of the race.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, who co-presents the event with Vice Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, had been invited to grace the awarding rites at Shrine Hills. All finishers, meanwhile, will receive Inday Sara signature shirts.
Cash prizes await the winners of the team and individual competition organized in coordination with the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office.