Victoria Sports cycling team in harness
ABOLSTERED roster of freshly-recruited Filipino and European riders will power the Philippines’ Victoria Sports Pro Cycling (VSPC) Team that will see action in one local and 15 international races this year.
Now on its second year as the Philippines’ third UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) continental team, VSPC’S massive lineup overhaul is expected to strengthen the team’s technology transfer program that the riders and mainstay Pako Ochoa envisions to benefit the country’s cyclists.
“VSPC is a team for the Filipino,” Ochoa said. “Our dream is to elevate Philippine cycling to the highest level possible and this could be achieved by giving our riders an opportunity to compete and experience the level of competition in more international races.”
Besides the Philcycling’s National Championships, the team will also compete in the Tour de Taiwan, Volta Limburg Classic (Netherlands), Belgrade Banjaluka (Serbia), Vuelta Asturias (Spain), GP. Intl Beiras Serra De Estralla (Portugal) Jelajah Cycling Series Surakarta (Indonesia), Tour of Hellas (Greece), Tour of Estonia, Tour of Malopolska (Poland), Aziz Shusha (Azerbaijan), Sibiu Cycling Tour (Romania), Tour De Banyuwangi Ijen (Indonesia), Prueba Villafrancaordiziako Klasika and Circuito De Getxo-memorial Hermanos Otxoa (Spain) and the Tour D’ Indonesia.
Ochoa said he expects an easier trek this year as compared to last year.
“Last year’s formula was not easy. But we need to earn experiences from the European riders, staff and races,” Ochoa said. “Transfer of technology is important to us if we want to elevate the level of the sports here at home.”
Portuguese rider Jose Jaoa Mendes is a holdover from last year’s VSPC.
He will join Brazilian Nicolas Sessler, Spanish Edgar Nieto, now a Dagupan City resident, and Dutch Jeroen Meijers in reinforcing the squad that has former Spanish cyclist Hector Carretero as Sports Director.
The local riders are Landerson Nebres, Marcelo Felipe, Ean Cajucom, Alexis Pagara, Ismael Grospe, Daniel Ven Carino, Edison Corbadora, Miguel Andrei Obmerga, Nichol Pareja, Kenneth Maramba and Ochoa.