Batang Pinoy Cyclists To Vie for Asian Slots

Cyclists competing in the 16-to-17-year-old category of the 2024 Batang Pinoy road cycling competitions will have a chance to secure priority slots on the national junior team for the 31st Asian Junior Road Cycling Championships in Thailand this February.

Philippine Olympic Committee president and PhilCycling chief Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino announced on Sunday that the event, part of Batang Pinoy, serves as a qualifying ground for next year’s continental competition.

“The podium finishers in the individual time trial and individual road race will be evaluated for national team inclusion,” Tolentino said.

Key Dates and Events

The Asian Junior Road Cycling Championships will be held from Feb. 7 to 16 in Thailand. It will feature not only the junior championships but also the 44th elite and under-23 championships and the 13th para cycling championships.

The individual time trial (ITT) is set for Nov. 26, while the individual road race (IRR) takes place on Nov. 27. Both events will start and finish inside the Iwahig Penal Colony, famously known as the “Prison Without Walls.”

Criterium races, while part of Batang Pinoy, are excluded from the Asian championships program.

National Championships Slated for 2025

Tolentino also revealed that the 2025 National Championships for Road will be held from Feb. 24 to 28 in Tagaytay City and parts of Cavite’s Eighth District, including Ternate and Maragondon. The event will feature Criterium and ITT stages in Tagaytay and the Lian-Tuy national highway in Batangas.

The men’s junior road race is scheduled for Feb. 26, the men’s under-23 and women’s elite races for Feb. 27, and the men’s elite race for Feb. 28.

Preparation for International Exposure

Parents and guardians of participants in Batang Pinoy cycling are urged to secure passports for smooth registration and processing should their athletes qualify for the Asian championships. An evaluation committee will finalize team selections.

“The Philippines intends to send a full contingent to Thailand, just as we did for this year’s championships in Kazakhstan,” Tolentino said.

These initiatives reflect PhilCycling’s efforts to provide young Filipino cyclists with competitive international exposure and help them transition into higher levels of competition.