Boholano biker unsaddles 

Kinatkatay ’17 champion 

THE FARM, Cambaol, Alicia, February 12 (PIA)—Kinatkatay sa Binabaje 2018 Alicia Mountain Bike Festival proved to be a classic race of the twenty niners and 1 x 11 drivetrains for the elite division, and a better prepared local biker used this as an ace to the edge, unseating the 2017 champion by a slim margin of 30 seconds. 

2017 Kinatkatay sa Binabaje champion Dongkey Sanchez (#5) of Lapulapu City in Cebu struggled to keep within attack range of the pack leader and lost a good amount of steam trying to shake off the alternating challenge of Boholano bikers in his tail, trying to unseat him from the 2018 post. 

Nicho Biol Lumay (Batuan, Bohol) wearing racing bib #3 and teammates Jonathan Pagaura (#1) (Maribojoc) on a 26r and Victor Justol Biongcog (#4) (Dagohoy) gave Sanchez a thoroughly planned hassle while simultaneously screening off Sanchez’s teammate Emmanuel Pedrosa (#6) of Lilo-an, Cebu from joining the front fray and ruin their game plan. 

Sanchez, who just claimed championship trophies in the recent Getafe Fiesta Cross Country MTB Challenge, Catmon Enduro and another big win in Negros Occidental a couple of weeks ago, is among the country’s top rated extreme and endurance mountain biker as well as enduro motorcross icon. 

Picking a Specialized 29’r on a 1 x 11 drivetrain and keeping his edge from his Scott 29’r in 2017, Sanchez did not opt for the clincher dropper seat for his ride, in the undulating technical ascents and steep down hills of Cambaol. 

On the other hand, his tough contender Nicho Lumay came in his BMC 29’ with the same 1 x 11 drive train which would be tough for the notorious Binabaje climbs but is set to easily skip over the rutted trails and coast through the rolling hills. 

With the right gearing and battle-tested pedal pumping power, both bikers literally flew over heavily rutted downhill rampage-rated single track trails and crawled over brutal technical climbs while Lumay and Pagaura took turns in taking the lead position while the other riding off from Sanchez’s trails. 

I was totally not prepared for the off saddles, Sanchez confessed after the race. 

Midway into the race, Pagaura dictated the pace, Sanchez on his tail a good minute away. 

That time, observers positioned at the midway point has read the Boholano riders’ game plan: Take turns in tiring the Cebuano champ by alternating lead while other rider humping behind to keep the Cebu rider pumping to distance and lose his steam. 

The succeeding wicked downhill had Lumay gaining the lead while Sanchez had Pagaura a meter away in the mad dash off-the-saddle over another unride-able 15 meter ascent. 

As both riders topped the hill, Lumay has gained a considerable lead half a kilometer away attacking another equally brutal obstacle hill leading to the highest peak in the race, sauntering a good 280 meters above Cambaol. 

While Pagaura kept the pressure on Sanchez, Biongcog, wearing racing bib number 4 tried to keep Pedrosa (#6) off the chase. 

Pagaura, who is among the best local sprinters, relied on his ace: the kilometer long barangay road would be his chance to leave Pedrosa off his tail. 

At the end of the 16 kilometer race, Lumay crossed the line in 47:10 seconds, while the champion followed suit 30 seconds later at 47:40 seconds. 

Pagaura hit the cross line at 48:10 seconds while Bioncog came in at 48: 55 with Pedrosa on his heels crossing at 49:53. 

Kinatkatay sa Binabaje is Alicia’s annual MTB Challenge and uses the footpaths, single tracks, creek crossings, wicked ascents and steep downhills while offering the riders a killer view of The Alicia Panoramic Park (TAPP). 

TAPP is Alicia’s flagship tourism product, and Mayor Marnilou Ayuban hopes they can sustain the events at the site to provide the locals the jobs that could help them get off poverty. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)