RP team sweeps SEA
mountainbike meet
By Marian Baring
Cebu Daily News

DANAO CITY--Not even a heavy downpour and slippery track could keep the RP Team from completing a sweep of Sunday's Southeast Asian Mountainbike Championships Cross Country event at the Ramon Durano Sr. Memorial Sports Complex.

The sturdy 26-year-old national team mainstay Marites Bitbit topped the three-lap run with 1:51:01.02 to finish ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Than Huyen.

Bitbit broke away from the pack as early as the first lap with a 38-second advantage over Huyen, who finished the event in 1:55:29.41, while compatriot Nguyen Thi Kim Uyen took third spot with a time of 2:00.03.34.

In the men's side, 17-year-old Niño Surban failed to sustain his early lead and settled for second place behind teammate Eusebio Quiñones, who finished first in 2:22:23.

Surban took the lead from Indonesia's Ali Usman in the first lap and held on to his advantage until the second lap. However, because of the mud, Surban, who earlier won the Singapore International Mountainbike championships, lost his lead to Quiñones in the third lap.

Usman settled for third spot in the tough cross-country race, which saw nine of the 12 riders dropping out.

"Quiñones overtook me in the muddy part because I was having a hard time negotiating that part of the course," Surban said.

Meanwhile, in the National Open Category, Rafael Jojo Cortes, who led the Center of Gravity team to third place in last month's Smart Tour of Cebu, took the gold with 1:03:10.4 while Jonathan Umbac took second place with a time of 1:04:17.

Tour of Pilipinas veteran Robert Villaber settled for the bronze in 1:38:37.93

Mark Roll Umbac took first place in the juniors category, with Andy Veloria and Ryan Latorza taking the second and third spots, respectively.

In the seniors group, Joseph Diez finished ahead of second placer John Paul Las Piñas and third placer Noel Famor.

In other categories, Ramil Mahilum topped the veterans class, Ernesto Paruhinog ruled the masters division, and Amalik Guttierez dominated the beginners category.

The event, organized by Danao City Sports Commission chairperson Rodriguez, was sponsored by San Miguel Beer, Viva Mineral Water, Rudy Project, Bike Hub, Globe, Danao Telecom, Telegadgets, Waterfront Hotel, Plantation Bay, Fox, Specialized, Giant, Trekk, Shimano, Cannodale, Graphic Star, Y101, Seiko and Aison Bike Shop.