TAGAYTAY City — China, Chinese-Taipei and South Korea emerged as dominant forces in the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Championships as the International Cycling Union (UCI) certified the Tagaytay CT Velodrome as a Category A facility.
“We are now officially a UCI track destination,” said PhilCycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Thursday. “With a Category A homologation, we can now host world cups and even the world championships.”
The homologation certificate—signed by UCI Track and Indoor Cycling Manager Jessika Grand Bois—came a day before Wednesday’s opening of the 16-nation, 600-athlete championships that the country is hosting for the first time in 31 years.
China, meanwhile, proved unstoppable in winning the sprint gold medals in men and women elite with Chinese-Taipei ruling the men’s junior team sprint race and South Korea bringing home the mint in women’s junior team sprint.
China clocked 42.981 seconds late Wednesday with Japan failing to finish and Hong Kong snatching silver, a feat matched by the Chinese women, who pedaled to the gold in 46.806 seconds over Malaysia and South Korea.
Yun Chieh Tsai, Yi Kuan Lin and Zi Qi Wei delivered a near-perfect ride for Chinese Taipei with a 45.314-second nail-biting finish for the gold medal—they beat the Koreans by 12 thousands of a second in the final.
Korea’s young riders delivered a commanding performance of 50.076 seconds to win the team sprint event over India and Malaysia.
Kazakhstan executed a near flawless race to earn gold, followed by Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan in the team pursuit, which the Chinese elite team also ruled in 3:48.14, maintaining a relentless tempo against Japan.
Team Philippines, on the other hand, went through its baptism of fire right at home—a performance that’s expected of the inexperienced team competing in a world-class competition.
“The disappointments are expected, but the good thing about the team is that the riders bettered themselves from training,” said PhilCycling track coach Virgilio Espiritu.
Plunging to early action in the championships were the men junior team sprint riders Prince Andrei Pedragosa, Asher Job Albo and Kaizel Jizmundo, while Marlen Marasigan, Althea Mae Campana and Angeline Elvira carried the fight in the women’s contest.
Matt Andrei Gonzalo, Archie Cardana and Marcus Gabriel Ricalde raced in the men elite team sprint race.
