LIAN, BATANGAS — Marcryan Mendoza beat Efren Reyes Jr. by half a wheel in the junior category while Aljim Martin survived an early crash to rule the youth division of the Philcycling-Go For Gold National Junior and Youth Trials on Thursday.
The 17-year-old Mendoza, a second-generation rider, nosed out Reyes after zooming ahead in the final 10 meters of the 78-kilometer race that began and ended in Barangay Binubusan here.
Martin, meanwhile, picked up his bike after a spill some five kilometers into the 40-km race and broke free from the peloton to arrive solo at the finish line, more than two minutes ahead of his closest pursuer.
A cousin of veteran rider Ronald Oranza, Martin arrived two minutes and 18.59 seconds ahead of Josue Albert Decuzar and John Paul Laureta and more than three minutes faster than fourth-placer Marc Van Louie Baluyut.
Mendoza, whose father Ryan was a professional rider in his prime, actually exacted revenge on Reyes, whose maneuverings denied him the Tour de Matabungay title last month in his rivalry with Go For Gold ace Rex Krog.
Go For Gold’s Ean Cajucom placed third in the juniors, 1:51 slower than Mendoza and Reyes, while Rench Michael Bondoc and Dave Clarence Cortez checked in fourth and fifth, more than four minutes behind the winner.
Day 2 of the tryouts designed to discover new talents for the national cycling team will feature the top 24 riders in the youth and the 25 surviving cyclists in the juniors in an individual time trial race.
