Guimarasnon Lea Belgira tops national cycling competition

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Guimarasnon cyclist Lea Denise Belgira continues to dominate and reigned supreme during the 2021 PhilCycling Mountain Bike National Trials for Downhill women’s elite category.

The former gold medalist during the 30^th Southeast Asian Games in the women’s downhill cycling showed no rust and repeated her stellar performance years ago.

Belgira dazzled once again and clocked in a total final time of one minute and 29.164 seconds in the 850-meter International Cycling Union-grade course.

It was a close call for the gold medal place as Belgira was able to pull off clean runs in the last minutes to go 2.023 seconds ahead of silver-medalist Naomi Gardoce.

Jade Nicole Baleta settled for the bronze medal and was able to finish the downhill track in one minute and 29.289 seconds.

“Our national athletes proved they are in top shape despite the difficulties in training because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said PhilCycling chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, in the men’s elite category, Eleazar Barba Jr. was hailed as the champion with an impressive time of one minute and 13.593 seconds.

Emmanuel Torregoza Cabalquinto fell short and placed behind Barba Jr. with a one-minute and 15 seconds tally.