Talibon’s Gov Aris MTB Race 2023

shows strong bikers all over Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 31, (PIA) – The Talibon Mountain Bike Race billed as the First Governor’s Mountain bike Race presented by Unified Talibon Bikers’ Club last May 27 proved, once and for all, that no town has the monopoly of strong cyclists, as the race results would show.

And no solid team, no matter how organized they put up rigid training could lay claim on the podium, showing that elsewhere, there is this wild card that would frustrate the well-prepared.

The race, which opened for four categories attracted decent participation from all over the province, as shown by its results: in the 29 and below, a guy from Alburquerque beat favorites including Talibon bikers whose familiarity and proximity with the race course is beyond question.

In the 30 to 39 age bracket, it was not a sweep for the Paseo de Loon Team, which had the betting odds on them.

In the 40-49 age group, hands down, Talibon based bike shop owned and former Pase de Loon elite team member bagged the trophy while in the 50 and above category, team AIWA was predicted to sweep the podium, but it was a little tad short.

Trained or not, the long climbs in the first half of the race, especially the punishing crawl to Batawan Hills sure squeezed out the lactics, causing cramps even to the well-conditioned riders.

The race course: a rugged mix of flat and cross country tracks, but the most tiring was pedaling on the cruel climbs and parched trails feeling the pain and the temptation to stop and have the grilled pork and Boholano cooking, as in the finish line awaits the much endeared carbo-loading in the Talibon fiesta table.

From starting line at the San Jose exit from the Poblacion, bikers sped off to Sto Niño over paved national highway and then turned left towards the long arduous grind to Batawan Hills is highlighted by ascending dirt road threading through thick oil palm plantations, occasional rice paddies.

Then, at the Batawan Hills, it’s wavering climbs take one to 100 meters and then plunging to 60 meters and then swinging up to 110 before diving again to 50 meters.

And then just as many think, they had seen it all, another sauntering 90 meter climb highlights the painful cranking before it , where it winds its way to rolling terrain after nearly 20 kilometers.

Then one has to cycle along the banks of the gorgeous Zamora dam before that mad dash to the finish line, along dusty barangay roads.

After finishing approximately 28 kilometers of roads and an elevation gain of 356 in a little over an hour, the first break-away group broke out of the Talibon terminal highway to the finish line.

In the 29 and below category, Alburquerque biker Edito Gaslang (bib no 19) pedaled to finish first, followed by Sagbayan biker (#35) Archie Enad followed by Batuan’s Bren Zyrell Busano in third.

Fourth was #20 Mequiades Enopia of Talibon ang another homegrown biker #15 Eric Neil Amba.

In the 30-39 age group, Batuan and Dauis based Paseo de Loon’s top seeded athlete blogger Nicho Lumay (# 006) crossed the line followed by team mate (#007) Alpris Pajo (Tagbilaran-Valencia) with Trinidad’s pride Serapin Dacuylo (#008) on the last podium riser slot.

In the 40-49, Talibon’s bike shop owner, Paseo de Loon biker Glicerio Roger Torreon (# 402) came in followed by Anda biker and AIWA team member Bobby Felisarta.

Coming in third is Carmen’s Tagabukid cyclist Paul Mesagrande (bib #403) and fourth is (#404) of Clarin, Vincent Villacorta.

In the 50 and above, many think it would be a sweep for the top spots in the podium but it came out that team AIWA’s Bilbert Aguilar (#010) of Alicia, Ven Amora (#009) and Mabini’s Concordio Bernales (#008) indood took the top spaces but Clarin’s Floro Tunday (#007) came in fourth followed by Sagbayan’s Bobby Bonggot completed the slots. (PIA-7/Bohol)

ALMOST BUT NOT YET. Getting the first and second podium slots, Paseo de Loon nearly swept the honors in the 30-39 category, if not for Trinidad’s Serapin Dacuylo, who sneaked in to the third spot. (PIAbohol)

40-49 AGE GROUP. Vincent Villacorta, Paul Mesagrande, Roger Toreon and Bobby Felisarta took the top podium spots in the 40-49 category after a grueling 28 kilometers of cross country race during the Talibon town fiesta. (PIABohol)