Hualda prevails in KO cycling race to earn spot in San Antonio bike battle

Ezra Acayan/Red Bull

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY—Pot-Pot Hualda bested 39 other cyclists to rule the Circulo Verde Chasedown Men's Fixed Gear Knockout Race at the said complex on Sunday.

Hualda edged fellow Go for Gold cyclist Jerry Aquino in the final lap to win the 41-lap, last man standing race.

Hualda went full throttle at the start, and by Lap 2, he already had a commanding lead.

By Lap 6, he was a full lap ahead of the rest of the pack, but with the overlapping rule disregarded in the race, that is, the overall leader can still be eliminated even if he is way ahead as long as he is the last to arrive at the finish line from the bottom group, the early barrage turned out to be costly as he found himself already at the group of those in danger of elimination.

Realizing his error, Hualda slowed down and kept in pace with the others before making another run for the top midway through the race.

But his next burst put him another full lap ahead of the remaining racers, virtually turning what was supposed to be a 39-lap race to a 41-lapper, and he had to once again get out of the bottom group to stay alive.

Good thing Aquino was there to once again remind Hualda of the rules, and Hualda just stayed in the lead group with him and Teng Querimit.

With Hualda and Aquino left to slug it out in the last lap, Aquino yielded and let Hualda take the top spot.

Hualva also earned the right to represent the Philippines in the Red Bull Last Stand knockout race in San Antonio, USA.

Querimit, the nephew of cycling legend Arnel, bucked a mechanical error to finish third, getting the last boot at the end of Lap 40.

On the other hand, Japo Parcero ruled the women's race.

The UP alumna, who is still part of the Quezon City campus' cycling club, broke away in the final lap to beat the entire Team Mako troika, who were all part of the geared category, whose race was merged with that of the fixed gear race, where Parcero was part of.

The Team Mako troika of sisters MJ (first) and Joyce Ann Monton (third) and Marianne Dacumos (second) would sweep the podium in the geared category.

In the men's geared race, Rodolfo Malangsa took the top spot followed by Joshua Atienza and Joshua Monton.

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