SURBAN BAGS 4TH NATIONAL MTB TITLE

Niño Surban wins national cross country title again after four years

Cebuano MTB rider Niño Surban snatched back the national championship after winning the cross-country Olympic (XCO) men’s elite in the 2018 UCI National MTB Championships in Barangay Manlayag Patag in Danao City last Sunday.

Surban clocked 1 hour, 9 minutes and 44 seconds in the fiveloop and 25-kilometer race to be crowned the national champion again after four years. The Talamban, Cebu City resident last won the race in 2014 when it was held in Ormoc.

Cesar Lapaza Jr. of Cycleline finished a minute and 34 seconds behind Surban for second place and John Edhmel Flores of Go For Gold clocked 1:12:17 to take third place.

Reimon Lapaza, also from Cycleline, and Jigo Mendoza of Go For Gold finished fourth and fifth with times of 1:13:34 and 1:16:43, respectively.

“The hard work and effort paid off,” said the veteran MTB rider, who bagged his fourth national championship since the event was sanctioned by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

John Derick Farr of Team Prima Dans Powersports, meanwhile, ruled the men’s elite downhill competition (DHI) after clearing the 1.7K route in 3:03.280, beating Wendell Barba of Team Taokas/ Team Barba by eight seconds.

Frederick Farr of Team Prima Pasta/ Oakley completed the course in 3:17.365 for third place and was followed by Hermocillo Semblante Jr. of Outbreak Adrenaline in 3:23.663 and Dave Chiong of V12 Radgear in 3:36.080.

The MTB event, organized by Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling), had more than 100 cyclists./