SEA Games: Bitbit dark horse in womens ITT of cycling

Baby Marites Bitbit looms as a darkhorse for the women's individual time trial gold medal but not veterans Lloyd Lucien Reynante, Ronald Gorantes or 2009 Tour champion Mark Galedo who were never known as contenders in the event. Bitbit competes in the women's 24-km ITT that starts at 9 a.m. Monday in Bekasi, West Java bearing a tag as one of the favorites although she and her fellow riders are returning to the SEA Games after they failed to ride in 2009 in Laos after failing to secure UCI licenses. The men's ITT course is set for 50.7 kilometers and if one of the team coaches is to be believed, Reynante and Galedo could vie strongly in the event. "With our strong lineup, we are eyeing two to three golds in the road competitions," said coach Cesar Lobramonte. "The course favors us since the last 30kms (men) are all uphill and our riders are among the best climbers," he added. Not since the now retired Victor Espiritu did the Philippines ever saw a pure time trialist, an event dominated by Vietnamese and Indonesian riders. Lobramonte said the route, similar to the one used in the 1997 SEA Games, which Indonesia also hosted, looks tailor-made for Filipino riders, who are all noted climbers. Before the Philippines failed to win a medal in 2009, Philippine cycling was on the uphill starting in 2003 in Vietnam with one gold medal, in 2005 in the Philippines with two and 2007 in Nakhon Ratchasima with four. Also on the road team are George Oconer, son of former Olympian Bert Oconer, and reserve Semico Buloso. — JVP, GMA News