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Philstar.com
February 27, 2025 | 3:33pm
MANILA, Philippines — Rush Camingao crossed solo to win the gold medal in the Men Under-23 road race of the PhilCycling National Championships for Road, where the contest for bronze was marked by foul riding in the sprint to the finish in Tuy, Batangas, on Thursday.
Camingao had plenty to spare — some 90 seconds — in ruling the category for riders aged 18-22 and covered the 171-km out-and-back event of the race in four hours, one minute and 34.58 seconds.
With a 4:03.54 clocking, Eking Roque claimed the silver medal in the championships — presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and Standard Insurance, and organized by the PhilCycling headed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Commissaires, meanwhile, ruled on relegating Jude Gabriel Francisco one rung for foul riding in the final sprint to gift Steven Tablizo the bronze medal — they race for continental teams Victoria Sports and Standard Insurance Philippines, respectively.
“A report from the Chief Judge [Armanda Filosopo] and Chief and Assistant Timers [Willie Carandang and Philip Arao] prompted the handing out of the penalty on the rider,” said Dominic Carpio, president of the commissaire’s panel for the race.
A starting field of 123 riders raced in hot, humid and windy conditions over rolling and false flat national roads around the start-finish in Batangay Putol in Tuy, Balayan, Lian and Nasugbu on the fourth and penultimate day of the championships also supported by the POC, Tagaytay City and Excellent Noodles as well as the Philippine Sports Commission, which supports the national teams of cycling.
In the end, 30 riders failed to finish the race that recorded an average speed of 42.50 kms with highs of 70 kph.
The Women Elite and Under-23 combined race was staged on Thursday afternoon while the Men Elite contest will be conducted Friday.
