Xterra, Asian MTB in list of 2017 events

CEBU's athletes will have something to look forward to next year as two big offroad events will be held in Cebu, which are expected to draw national and foreign participants.

The Xterra Philippines, an off-road triathlon race, will be first on the list, which is slated in April in Danao City. The event makes its comeback to Cebu after two years in Legazpi, Albay.

The 1.5-kilometer open water swim, 35K off-road bike and 10K trail run race was once hosted by the Municipality of Liloan for four straight years before it went to Albay in 2015 and 2016.

The Xterra Philippines, organized by Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI), is one of the legs in the 2017 Xterra Asian Tour Championships.

The second event, on the other hand, is for the mountain bike athletes and enthusiasts—the Asian Invitational and MTB National Championships, which is penciled in June.

Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez Jr. of PhilCy- cling told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that he's looking at Camotes Island or Carmen as the venue for the 2017 Asian Invitational and National Championships.

“I'm still looking for another venue. I'm looking at holding it in Camotes Island or in Carmen near MHLhullier property where he has a zoo and also a forested area,” said Rodriguez, a UCI Commissaire and also the chairman of the Danao City Sports Commission.

“I want the National Championships to be held here because I want to have national riders from the Visayas or Mindanao, most especially Cebuano national riders,” he added. “If you hold it in Luzon, it will be difficult for riders from the Visayas and Mindanao to travel to Luzon. Aside from that there are no mountains in Metro Manila.”

Rodriguez said that foreign riders will also be invited for the race to make it more challenging and more attractive to spectators.