AT 37 years old, Mark John Lexer Galedo has remained the fastest Filipino road biker in the land.
Faced against younger, hungrier rivals, the 2013 Southeast Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist didn’t miss a beat as he stamped his class in the men’s individual time trial of the PhilCycling National Championships for Road in Tagaytay City.
The 37-year-old Mr. Galedo, one of the rare few who has won the country’s two major races in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas and the Air21 Le Tour de Filipinas, timed in 52 minutes and 43.10 seconds in the 30-kilometer race from Nasugbu, Batangas to Praying Hands Monument in Tagaytay in capturing the gold.
The 7-Eleven Roadbike rider blew away the field that included 2022 Ronda runner-up Ronald Oranza and John Mark Camingao of Standard Insurance-Navy, who checked in 31 seconds and 2.22 minutes behind, respectively.
“I prepared hard because these are the national championships. I still feel them in my legs and I’ll go on riding,” said the ecstatic Mr. Galedo.
Fellow SEA Games gold winner Jermyn Prado continued to underscore her domination of women’s cycling as she topped the ITT in 39:14.20 for her second triumph after her conquest of the criterium the day before.
Other winners were Nichol Pareja (men’s Under-23), Phoebe Salazar (women’s U23), Andrew Lumanlan (juniors), Samstill Mamites (youth), Raven Joy Valdez (juniors), and Kym Syrell Bonilla (youth).
The event is being co-presented by Standard Insurance, MVP Sports Foundation and Smart and backed by Chooks-to-Go, San Miguel Corp., Petron, Le Tour de Filipinas-Air21-One LGC, Tagaytay City, Go For Gold, Cavite’s First District, Batangas First District, Batangas and the Philippine National Police. — Joey Villar