Marcelo Felipe —PHILCYCLING PHOTO
Newly minted bike king Marcelo Felipe will get to represent the country in high-caliber races in Europe after winning the men’s elite gold medal in the PhilCycling National Championships for Road in Tagaytay City.
“To wear the national jersey in an international race is really special. It will be even more gratifying to have it when our team competes in Europe,” said Felipe in Filipino.
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A spot in the national team is given only to the national champion of a country in a race organized by the local cycling federation such as PhilCycling and sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body in the sport.
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There’s no exact timeline for the premier Victoria Sports rider’s sojourn in Europe yet, but Felipe feels this will certainly boost his team’s overall campaign this year.
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“We will race in Europe next month apart from our races here in Asia. I’ve been longing to bring the national jersey there. It will motivate us to race better,” said the two-time national champion, who wore the King of the Mountain jersey on the second stage of the Tour of Hellas in Greece last year.
Best Asian rider
Felipe is hoping to bring the excitement and drive that he feels to the revival of the Tour of Luzon this summer apart from the UCI races he will participate in prior to the Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December.
“I’m looking forward to the Tour of Luzon. I hope we will be fortunate to win that race. It will be my second year in Europe and I will be more adapted to the environment and the level of races there,” said Felipe.
The longtime 7Eleven Road Bike Philippines team captain likewise wore the best Asian rider jersey during the Tour de Langkawi last year.
Felipe won the 215-kilometer race in five hours, two minutes and 25.49 seconds.
Jericho Lucero placed second after crossing the line two seconds slower in a sprint finish, and Jeremy Lizardo wound up third, four seconds back.
“There’s a big difference in races in Europe compared to Asia,” said the 35-year-old Felipe.
He pointed out that Asian riders casually make attacks even if the chase is unnecessary while cyclists in European races are more calculated and only strike in the mountainous sections of the course.
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“In Europe, the races are controlled by the strong teams, but I think I will be ready to go head to head with the cyclists there,” said Felipe. INQ
