Set to Conquer the World Stage: The Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team

I've never seen so much passion in the sport of cycling than during the thanksgiving event of the Victoria Sports Pro Cycling team (VSPC). I've seen them don podiums in different events, and didn't know how close they were. We found out today that their office is at Quezon City. 

These guys have been working so hard doing races locally and recent ones in Europe, trying their best in international racing circuits, making us all proud, all hoping to bring pride and honor for the Philippines.

For those who don't know, one of their members Ean Cajucom took home the championship for the Ramos Cycling Race (based in PH). At the General Classification and 2nd Stage of Oman's Tour of Salalah, their team member Nicolas Sessler copped these posts. Then Jeroen Meijer took 3rd spot on Stage 4 of the multi day road cycling race in that country. The VSPC team also took home 5th Place overall at the Trans-Himalayan Cycling Race in China versus some of the world's best too. In the land of the rising sun's OITA Urban Classic, Meijers took first place at the Road Race, while Cajucom took second spot. They also did good at the Tour de Kyushu races, much of which they consistently placed as part of the team.  

Here's our interview with them a few days ago:

You could feel their eagerness to improve their skills even at this stage. When they are doing rigorous training in Europe, they said they loved it because they get to concentrate on cycling and the sport. No question about their love for the Philippines, but they said they needed to look out for themselves here because of the traffic, buses, trucks, other motorists that become their number one concern when training. The only drawback is being away from family, friends, and loved ones. The senior members really felt like family because the little things like problems at home do become a normal occurrence in managing their members.

Former QC Mayor and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte was also there to support the cause! It was a pleasure meeting you sir!

The training they receive in EU also gets them to adapt the time tested system of training they do in that side of the world which more or less, doesn't exist in the region we belong. They will also be scouting in different weekly and monthly cycling events to seek Filipino talent that they could further develop like the champions they have in the roster. These 15 members are making the country proud, and in 2025 they promise to do even more to make sure that we as a nation achieve greater heights just like recent champions, Olympians, who have inspired the youth, and even more people to take up the sport. 

They have been fixing their calendar to participate in local tourneys plus a few more in United Arab Emirates (Dubai and elsewhere). They also have some in Spain, and other countries in Europe. This is just the start of hopefully more wins in the world stage, and we hope that more brands, corporations would continue to support their cause and bring the Philippines more wins in the professional cycling sport. 

Congratulations to the whole Victoria Sports Pro Cycling (VSPC) team which includes Carlos Francisco Ochoa, Marcelo Felipe, Ean Cajucom, Alexis Pagara, Nicolas Sessier, Ismael Grospe Jr., Daniel Ven Carino, Edson Carbadora, Miguel Andrei Obmerga, Nichol Pareja, Kenneth Maramba, Jeroen Meijers, Edgar Nieto and more, please continue to do the Philippines and your pro team proud!

Congratulations VSPC! Here's to more victories for the country soon!

Bike to Save Lives at Rotary’s 100th!

How do you spend 100 minutes and save lives?

I have asked this question to my self a couple of times, but have yet to figure out the answer. What can you do in one hundred minutes? For me maybe three blog posts, two edited videos, a grand breakfast, a short dinner or maybe a night out that turned sour. To each his own, I’m sure yours is a little different but let me ask, can you save a life in that amount of time? 

On October 21 there will be a really good way to show your humanity together with the Rotary International District 3780 as they hold a fund raising cycling event called “100 Years of Inspiring People” at 6AM in ArcoVia in C5 Pasig City. They’ve particularly done well with their Polio cause a couple years ago but this time, they are helping the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders to help get rid of Maple Urine Disease and Hunter’s Disease, which are little known killers silently happening across the nation. This event will have three activities namely the 100KM, 100 Minutes and the Amazing Race. 

If you want to join, please call Efren at 09177272122 or email them at 100yearsofinspiringpeople@gmail.com or 100yearsofinspiringpeople on Facebook. It’s all there!

Time to bike to save lives!

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

NUVALI's Dirt Weekend Invitational!

I'm so excited to hear news about Nuvali. This was just announced last Saturday and boy oh boy people are flocking all the way to the south just to get a load of this!

Well, if it was fun on this Dirtbike Weekend that I witnessed last year... it's even going to be MORE serious this year as they will have a Dirt Week Invitational where competitors from all over the Philippines, our national teams and even our neighbors from the Southeast Asian region will compete and vie for recognition by the UCI; because as you register, it will include the membership to Philcycling (the national federation).Upon securing the license, you can join the sanctioned race in this cycling spectacle!

All the tracks, registration and the other events this year have been organized by these individuals in coordination with national sports agencies as this will be also observed by Union Cycliste Internationale. This event in November will comprise of Cross Country (XCO/XCR) and Four Cross events. In the meantime, from April 26 to 28, they will still hold a local Dirt Weekend. You should get your gears and sample the almost 2000 hectares of land that Nuvali has and enjoy what true evo living is all about courtesy of Ayala Land.

Invited local squads like Bikeworkx, Sabak, Potato Corner, Yellow Cab, KTM, John Wilkie, EXO, Cycleine of Mindanao and Prima/Isuzu D-Max will be there to give the rest of the competitors a run for their posts. Even some slots will be actually given to lucky ones if they get to beat members from the national team according to their Chairman. So this means if there are going to be remarkable cyclists that can beat the ones from the pool, they can be fully sponsored by the government after this. Who wouldn't be challenged by that? =) It's an official SEA Games qualifier!

For more outdoor fun, make NUVALI your next destination and make sure you will be there on November and this weekend for more action down south!

Check out their Facebook Page for more information

Nuvali

One Great NUVALI Dirt Weekend 2012!

What is it with Dirt and Men? I often ask that my self but find the thought quite amusing. I'm one of those guys who like it rough and tough. I've been riding bike's since I was 4 and it's one of the most liberating experiences to be in. The wind in your hair while you put the pedal to the metal, riding up bumps and humps on the road or just plainly doing it for sport you kinda know why you love doing it. NUVALI just up the ante last weekend and got another one happening. I've attended the one last year and this time it's NUVALI DIRT WEEKEND 2012!

Different cycling events, a whole dirt bike course and several competitions. If that doesn't make your day complete then I don't know what will. It's so nice to hear we've got a place like this down south. I personally am loving every bit of it!

The sky was definitely clearer. It probably knew what was going to transpire the whole day. Bike enthusiasts from almost everywhere in the metro and nearby towns came over and butt heads like mountain goats because after all, this is also a competition. It's a challenge against yourself and a challenge against other compatriots who also love the sport.

What's quite nice to see is that there are families who actually join too. If they are not joining the competition, they are also there to support their kids or family member. Case in point is this kid who I saw rummaging through the mud with his bike. I just felt a little nostalgic after seeing this. I wanted to grab someone else's bike there and ride again. NUVALI just does wonders!

I even bumped into a few photographers I know. This one's Carlo Fresnido, a buddy from D60 Krew. I used to go out with him and shoot street with the other Krew members. We don't do that much street anymore and have our own niches while he on the other hand has been doing this for a while now. Although I miss shooting with these guys I'm not surprised he kinda rested a bit with photography and concentrated on bikes now. I share the passion. Plus I heard he's doing good too, I wonder if he placed on his heat that afternoon. I'll ask him later. Good job on this new thing you're doing Carlo! You better be good! ;)

We got a little inspired even under the sweltering heat of the sun and took some shots off the course. As you can see, it ain't a joke. It's so nice NUVALI wants to keep the populace healthy by doing these competitions. Thank god AYALA thought of building a evoliving community like this, I'm just so impressed. Then I saw some of the kids join the competition. Called one by one, they went through the course like pros. This you gotta see!

Seeing them go through the course just made me realize I need to get out and get back to cycling sometime soon. It's been a while since I did that and I'm a little afraid if I can handle my weight on this contraption LOL! But for what its worth I'll see what I can do. After all, we all need to START somewhere right?

I wish I could stay in NUVALI forever. But we all got to go back to our offices and work again. I'm so glad to have seen this again. I am inspired to build a bike now, I might just take their events seriously next time and not just talk on the sidelines. I learned a lot on this second visit, it taught me a lot about building dreams and finding your passion... much like these people who have been supporting their loved ones and cheering them on with what they do. This would be a lifestyle I'd want to have pretty soon.

Plus they've got tons of restaurants and shops on other areas of NUVALI, you should definitely come and visit if you want to have a different view with your family and loved ones.

For more information about events at NUVALI

Add them on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/nuvali.ph

Visit their official website

http://www.nuvali.ph