Pedal to the metal

After 31 long years, the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Championships returns to the Philippines with the staging of the event’s 45th edition at the new Tagaytay City CT Velodrome.

At least a dozen countries have confirmed their full participation for the 25 to 31 March competitions.

“It’s been three decades since the country hosted the Asian track championships — 1995 to be exact at the then Amoranto Velodrome in Quezon City,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who also heads cycling’s national federation, PhilCycling.

“With at least 12 nations confirming their attendance and more than 200 athletes competing as of today [Thursday, January 8] at the brand-new and International Cycling Union (UCI)-standard velodrome, the POC, PhilCycling and Tagaytay City will be rolling out the red carpet as we aim for an excellent hosting of the event.”

Tagaytay City Mayor Aizack Brent Tolentino guaranteed the city’s full support to the championships which features competitions in men and women sprint, keirin, 1-kilometer time trial, team sprint, individual and team pursuit, points race, scratch, omnium, Madison and elimination race.

To be held simultaneously in the event fully supported by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by Patrick “Patò” Gregorio are the 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships in the 1-km time trial, individual pursuit, sprint, elimination and scratch races in six events both for men and women.

Besides host Philippines, already confirmed for the championship are powerhouse Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Chinese-Taipei, Kazahksan, Uzbekistan and Iran.

Japan dominated the 2025 championships in Thailand with 16 of the 22 gold medals that were staked, followed by Malaysia with two and South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Uzbekistan with one gold each.

The POC and PhilCycling president expects more countries to send their teams to the championships which already surpassed the 10 nations that took part in last year’s edition in Nilai, Malaysia.

The registration deadline is set on 15 January.

Tolentino and Asian Cycling Confederation head Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill led the inauguration of the velodrome in June last year.

Only 12 countries in Asia have velodromes with Tagaytay City being recognized as the newest indoor and wood facility that vies as a track cycling epicenter for the Southeast Asian region.

The Amoranto track along Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City was demolished last year to give way to a football pitch.