(Part of the more than 3,000 cyclists start the race from the Clark Global City at the Clark Freeport Zone on Sunday. Photo by Ashley Manabat)
CLARK FREEPORT – SEA Games champion and national cycling team member Mark John Lexer Galedo eased out his rivals in the just concluded 7-Eleven Tour 2019, described as one of the largest cycling events of the year.
Galedo, who clocked 2:29:48, bested over 3,000 professional, recreational as well as Kapampangan local cyclists here on Sunday.
Coming in neck-toneck five seconds later were 2. Michael Jan Farre and 3. Rench Michael Bondoc both clocking in at 2:29:53.
Sixteen batches of 250 cyclists each were flagged off starting at 6 am in three-minute intervals at the sprawling Clark Global City (CGC) here passing through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) to Floridablanca and all the way to Subic and back.
Vincent Dela Cruz, 7-Eleven marketing officer, said there were two legs in the event with one, 106 kilometers from CGC all the way to Tipo in Subic, and another for 48 kilometers from CGC to the Floridablanca exit of the expressway.
He said some of those who joined were as young as 16 years old and even as old as 51 years old with more than 3,000 individuals registering for the event.
Dela Cruz said each route posed different challenges depending on the skill level of the participants.
“And though the trail was quite difficult at times, participants of the 7-Eleven Tour 2019 enjoyed scenic routes in Central Luzon as they passed through via the SCTEX,” he said.
Galedo was named the overall winner and took home ₱20,000 in cash prize.
“We are heartened by the outcome of Tour 2019,” Philippine Seven Corp. president/CEO Jose Victor Paterno said. “This is a testament to the vibrant cycling community here in the Philippines, one we have proudly supported over the years,” he pointed out.
“We believe that events such as the 7-Eleven Tour 2019 contribute greatly to the training of professional cyclists and the discovery of young and up and coming athletes that can hopefully bring greater pride to our country,” Paterno said.
“Aside from this, the event is the perfect opportunity for recreational cyclists to have an enjoyable ride while taking in the sights of Central Luzon,” he added.
