The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
The Philippines is bringing world-class cycling in 2025.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the country is bidding to host both the Asian BMX Championships again and the International Cycling Union-BMX World Cup in Tagaytay City in 2025.
“With the success of this year’s Asian BMX championships, Tagaytay City is declaring its bid not only for the continental championships but also for the UCI World Cup in 2025,” said Tolentino at the close of the 2023 Asian BMX Championships for Freestyle and Racing at the Tagaytay City BMX Park over the weekend.
Tolentino, also the mayor of Tagaytay City, formally made the offer to Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) secretary-general Onkar Singh and UCI management committee member Datuk Amarjit Singh of Malaysia
“We want to become the first Asian country to host the International Cycling Union-BMX World Cup by 2025,” added Tolentino.
But Tolentino admitted the current BMX track has to be modified in order for the.country to host the World Cup.
“Innovations on the current BMX track would be implemented, especially on raising the start ramp from its present 5-meter height to the world championships and World Cup standard of 8 meters,” said Tolentino.
He said a V-shaped start ramp—5 meters and 8 meters—would be implemented soon.
“But hosting the Asian championships and the World Cup would have to be in the first five months of the year when the rains—and the Tagaytay fog—are scant,” he said.
The ACC and UCI officials—as well as foreign commissaires—lauded the track and the organization of the championships and agreed in principle on Tolentino’s proposal for 2025.
More than 200 athletes and officials from nine Asian countries—including riders as young as 9 years old who competed in the Challenge events—converged for the three-day championships which also served as the last qualifier for cycling for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Last Saturday, Japan dominated the flatland events, while China topped the freestyle park categories in the event supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, City Government of Tagaytay and First District of Cavite.
Moto Sasaki and Sakura Kawaguchi of Japan crowned themselves as the champions in the men’s and women’s BMX freestyle flatland categories
The competition is also sponsored by Smart/MVP Sports Foundation, Vans and partner hotels Summit Ridge, Tagaytay Quest Hotel and Tagaytay Hotel Dominique.