New pro cycling team aims to actively represent PH in overseas races

THE Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team was presented before the media and the public during its launch on Friday at the Victoria Sports Tower in Quezon City. . – PHOTO CONTRIBUTION

MANILA, Philippines–Seeking to make its mark on the local and international stage, the Victoria Sports Cycling Team plans to be an active competitor in major cycling tournaments here and abroad.

Team representative Pako Ochoa said the country’s newest pro cycling team “aims to be the first Filipino team to regularly and actively represent the country in major international cycling tournaments in Asia and countries around the world.”

The VSCT—supported by veteran Portuguese professional cyclists—was officially launched over the weekend with a press conference at the Victoria Sports Tower followed by a one-day community gathering at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“This is an exciting time for Philippine sports. Our country won its first gold medal in the Olympics two years ago, and this year the country will be represented in the Fifa Women’s World Cup and the Fiba Basketball World Cup,” Ochoa said.

“We are slowly showing the world that Filipino athletes can be competitive in international sports competitions, and we will prove that Filipinos also have what it takes to excel in cycling.”

VSCT consists of drivers Jhay Oconer, Kelvin Mendoza, Marcio Barbosa, Luis Krog, Pedro Paulinho, Ochoa, Ean Cajucom, Jose Mendes, Daniel Carino, Jerry Aquino and Andre Cardoso.

Mendez is a former World Tour Driver for Bora-Hansgrohe and a two-time national road champion in Portugal while Cardoso is a former World Tour driver for Segafredo Tracks.

But competing in the Union Cycliste Internationale race is not the team’s only goal as it aims to help “increase the popularity of motorcycling in the Philippines.”

“We are very grateful to all the companies that share our vision,” said Ochoa, “[We] also believe that we can go beyond making cycling more popular-which can raise the level of cycling and make it part of our culture, as in other areas of the world where the needs and rights of bikers are embraced and respected. ” -Celest Flores-Bukit

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