Navarro tops Mangaldan’s ‘Werweran’ bikefest
EXPELLED national cyclist Reynaldo Navarro proved to his quondam masters and his co-riders that he is no pushover at 31.
Navarro, using his international skills outsmarted and eventually outsprinted four break-away riders in the last 400 meters to capture his first ever title of the annual Mangaldan bikefest dubbed for the last eleven years as “Werweran” held last Sunday.
The star-studded affair was held in conjunction with the celebration of the town’s fiesta under the aegis of the town’s chief executive Herminio A. Romero.
The 144-kilometer flat trek started at 12 noon, flagged off by the town’s execom chief Councilor Danilo Macasieb and cycling chair Johnny Valencia.
The wheel game that passed the neighboring towns of San Jacinto and San Fabian saw various leaders taking the ‘summit sprints’ in every round, but it was the diminutive and youthful San Fabian standout Rene Esteban who won two out of seven laps to garner 39 points and pocketed P1,500.
The 2005 Southeast Asia Games veteran Navarro, who adopted a ‘wait and see’ tactic in the first seven rounds, took only a single sprint and then accelerated on the last half kilometer to win by a whole bike length and bagged the P10,000 top prize and a trophy, with P1,000 for coming second overall in the summit.
New Mangaldan sensation Adrian Malanum came in second to pocket P5,000; Vergel Muena from Guimba, Nueva Ecija checked in third worth P4,000, while Sta. Maria, Pangasinan lone entry Jesus Garcia (not this writer) landed fourth good for P3,000.
Another Novo Ecijano up and coming Joy Agustin of Talavera town finished fifth to earn P2,000. The first five finishers had an identical time of three hours, 37 minutes and 23 seconds.
Rounding up the top ten are: Loreto dela Carsel of Sta. Barbara, sixth; Baler Ravina of Asingan seventh; Sherwin Carrera and Esteban, eight and ninth, respectively and both from San Fabian, and tenth Reynaldo Calosa of San Jacinto.
Navarro, Malanum, dela Carsel, Ravina and Calosa are members of the 16- man strong pro-am Pangasinan cycling squad called “Pitaki Boyz.”.
In the master-executive race category (exclusively for 35 years old and above), 1986 and 49 year-old Marlboro Tour champion Rolando Pagnanawon of Cebu out-pedaled 39 others in the 54-kilometer event to seize the crown and netted P2,000 plus trophy.
Mangaldan born, Guam based and two-time Olympian Jazy Garcia came in a close second to bag P1,500. Ruel Gendrano of Manila finished third, good for P1,000, likewise with trophy.
“Next year we’ll hold another one like this kind of magnitude because it’s already a traditional affair every time we celebrate our town fiesta,” said Romero.
The two events were sponsored by the municipal government of Mangaldan headed by Romero, Macasieb and under the auspices of Valencia and assisted by COP Supt. Segundino Adaliga and Cmdr. Pete de Vera with the Bantay Bayan Foundation, and Engr. Joey Aquino.
The co-sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Evans, Guam resident Mangaldan visitor Jesse Maanao, Robert Dix of Chix Unlimited, Bonuan Gueset Councilor Angel Gumarang, Pangasinan 2nd Engineering District czar Rodolfo Dion, Jazy Sportswear, Vince Purified Drinking Water, and Villota Motorcycle Parts and Accessories. – JAG
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
