RONALD ORANZA and Kate Jasmin Velasco made Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance look so good on an ideal day of racing on Sunday in the PhiCycling National Trials for Road at the Clark Freeport Zone.
Oranza ruled the men’s road race and Velasco collected her second gold medal in the two-day trials presented by Standard Insurance, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Bases Conversion and Development Authority and Clark Development Corp.
The pride of Villasis (Pangasinan), Oranza led a 1-2-3 finish by the Navymen in the 147.6-km road race that started and finished at the Clark Parade Grounds. He clocked three hours, 18 minutes and 25.80 seconds with George Oconer bagging silver with a time of 3:18:32.15 and Ronald Lomotos setting for the silver with a 3:18:35.23 clocking.
“We did our best to protect each other throughout the race,” Oranza, 28, said “And we managed to book a 1-2-3 finish.”
“I am praying this trials will mark the return of cycling events all over the country,” added Oranza, one of several national team mainstays whose performance were evaluated in the trials also supported by Go for Gold, Chooks-to-Go, GAC Motor, Gatorade, Versa, 7-Eleven, Le Tour de Filipinas, UBE Express Inc., Powerade, Wilkins, Coca-Cola, Shimano, Bike-X and MadCrank.
The women’s race also displayed an almost similar complexion as the men’s competition of the event organized by the PhilCycling headed by Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, also president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Velasco, winner of the individual time trial on Saturday, clocked 2:15:17.62 to rule the 80.70-km race, with teammate Mathilda Krogg making the podium with a 2:15:19.75 clocking.
Avegail Rombaon, switching her MTB with a road bike, broke a Navy domination by outsprinting Krogg in the final 50 meters to snatch silver, crossing the line 1.76 seconds behind Velasco.
“I never expected to win today [the road race]. It was Marianne [Dacumos], our senior, who’s in our game plan, but I got the opportunity, so we didn’t let that slip away,” Velasco, of nearby Floridablanca also in Pampanga, said. “This title is very important to us, and we dedicate this to our sponsors.”