A HISTORIC road race from Baguio to Tagaytay, the inauguration of the country’s first indoor velodrome, and the celebration of Olympic Day and World Bicycle Day will all take place on Monday, June 23, in Tagaytay City.
“This is a historic first not only for the Olympic Movement but also for Philippine cycling,” said the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and PhilCycling president, as well as Tagaytay City Mayor, Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. Tagaytay also marks its 87th Charter Day celebration on June 21.
The one-day road classic, organized by PhilCycling, will kick off from Camp John Hay in Baguio City and finish at the newly built Tagaytay City Velodrome. Covering a total of 288 kilometers, the race will pass through major highways including TPLEX, SCTEX, NLEX, Skyway, SLEX, and CALAX. It will feature the top 30 finishers from this year’s MPTC Tour of Luzon.
“It’s all about speed and endurance,” said Tolentino, thanking sports patrons and business leaders Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ramon S. Ang, along with sponsors like MPTC, San Miguel Corp. Infrastructure, Camp John Hay, and Duckworld PH for making the event possible.
The event also includes the formal inauguration of the UCI-standard 250-meter indoor wooden velodrome, considered a major step forward for track cycling in the country. According to Tolentino, this development marks the resurgence of a sport that offers the most gold medal events (10 each for men and women) in cycling.
To cap the celebration, Olympic Solidarity scholars will sign their contracts under the guidance of the POC, highlighting continued investment in future Filipino athletes.
“This is more than just a celebration—it might be one of the most unique in the world,” Tolentino said.
PhilCycling is also set to send riders to the omnium events at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, kickstarting the new velodrome’s journey to becoming a top Asian cycling hub. PR