Tenorio tops SDA 60K bike race

 Lewie Tenorio is all set for next month’s Hell of Marianas after conquering the 60-kilometer course in the SDA Thanksgiving Road & MTB Race last Sunday.

“It was a good warm-up for the Hell of Marianas. I had a crash and flat-free race. It was a nice cruise and hopefully I will have the same good ride next month,” said Tenorio, who led the race from start to finish and timed in at 2:08:12, about 12 minutes ahead of men’s road bike division runner-up Ariel Garcia (2:20:02).

Completing the Top 3 of the men’s road bike 50-km race was Aldrin Sta. Ana, who crossed the finish line in San Antonio at the 2:34:45 mark. The longer race of the day also started in San Antonio and bikers headed to the Airport Road, Chalan Talafofo, and Kingfisher and down to Capital Hill going to the Radar Station before returning to San Antonio at the parking lot of the Seventh Day Adventist School through Beach Road.

Four others joined the men’s 50-km road bike event.

In the men’s 46-and-above division, Willy Barbo and Cesar Fortalez had a down-to-the-wire finish with the former clocking in at 2:36:22 to beat the latter’s 2:37:23. Philip Ganang rounded out the Top 3 with his 2:53:36.

In the 45-and-under race, Andy Nutting won convincingly after completing the race in 2:43:22. About nine minutes behind Nutting was Danny Garcia, who settled for second after submitting 2:51:03. Ben Babauta saved third place after crossing the finish line in 3:06:22.

Still in the road bike category, Mieko Carey finished fourth overall and was the first female to complete the race after recording 2:28:12. Heather Kennedy notched second place with her 3:08:09.

In the separate MTB race, Nap Dizon and Joann Salazar took the top spot in the podium with times of 2:20:02 and 3:21:31, respectively.

Joining Dizon in the Top 3 of the 10-field men’s open MTB category were Charlie Sendin (2:34:34) and Bob Ferrer (2:36:22), while Susan Marchitti (3:22:39) and Juanita Fajardo (4:05:22) rounded out the women’s open MTB finishers.

In the men’s 46-and-above division, Gary Bandoja was way ahead of his closest pursuer, finishing the race in 2:35:26. Ariel Lansangan timed in at 2:52:56 for a distant second, while Noel Ignacio came in at third at 2:54:11.

The men’s 45-and-below event was a close race with Ronald Lanuza tallying 2:44:12 to edge the 2:47:12 of Ricky Melchor. Youth biker Erico Castro completed the Top 3 with his 2:52:22.