PAHIRAPAN SA PINOY CYCLIST ANG LAMIG SA UZBEKISTAN

MAKARAANG ma­ka­re­kober mula sa pagkarera sa napakalamig na klima, sinikap nina Marc Ryan Lago at Daniel Ven Cariño na umayos ang kondisyon sa pagsikad muli sa bikes at muling harapin ang lamig at ulan sa 2019 Asian Cycling Championships (ACC) sa Uzbekistan.

Sa edad ni Lago na 18 at Cariño, 21, nabigo silang maka-podium sa individual time trial (ITT) ng road championship na nilahukan ng may 31 foreign cyclists na isa sa pinakamalaking ACC. “I gave everything I got, yet it wasn’t enough,” ani Lago, na nagtapos na 5th sa may 13 entries sa Men Junior (18-under) ITT, ang una niyang international stint.

Si Cariño na sumabak na sa ibang bansa ng ikatlong beses sa kanyang young career bilang miyembro ng 7 Eleven-Cliqq Roadbike Philippines at Go For Gold continental teams, ay naka­sampa sa 15th place. “Like Marc, I tried to fight the cold, but it was too difficult to bear,” saad ni Cariño.

Pahirapan ang 11 degrees na lamig para sa Pinoy lalo na at umulan, hindi gaya ng ibang siklistang isinilang at lumaki at sanay sa mga klimang tulad ng Uzbek. “There are more to improve on and work on the team,” ayon kay Ednalyn Hualda, isa sa national cycling team head coaches. “The conditions were simply unbearable.” To ease the riders from the cold and rain, they had to be doused in baby oil and petroleum jelly and had plastic bags inserted between their jerseys and bodies. Thermal suits were not allowed under cycling regulations.” (VA/MC)