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Cycling: Belgira, Barba rule mountain bike national trials

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Lea Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/11/30/20211130-lea-denise-belgira-eleazar-barba-jr-philcycling-mountain-bike-national-trials.jpg"/><figcaption>Lea Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr. ruled the women&#x27;s and men&#x27;s elite categories in the recent PhilCycling Mountain Bike National Trials. Handout photo.</figcaption></figure></div>Lea Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr. lived up to expectations on Sunday, as they ruled the women&#x27;s and men&#x27;s elite categories of the PhilCycling Mountain Bike National Trials for Downhill in Barangay Sandayong Sur in Danao City, Cebu.Belgira remains the queen of Philippine MTB Downhill, as she bagged the Women&#x27;s Elite gold medal after negotiating the 850-meter International Cycling Union-grade course in one minute and 29.164 seconds.Belgira, the 2019 Southeast Asian Game gold medalist, was ahead by 2.023 seconds over Naomi Gardoce, who settled for silver. Jade Nicole Baleta bagged bronze after finishing 29.289 seconds back.Barba, meanwhile, clocked 1:13.593 to rule the Men Elite class of the trials.Emmanuel Torregoza Cabalquinto snatched silver with 1:15.175.Jerich Farr, the gold medalist in the event in the 2019 SEA Games, was slightly off his element and settled for the bronze medal with a time of 1:15.671.&quot;Our national athletes proved they are in top shape despite the difficulties in training because of the Covid-19 pandemic,&quot; said PhilCycling chairman Oscar &quot;Boying&quot; Rodriguez. &quot;We are all happy that MTB is alive despite all the safety protocols.&quot;PhilCycling previously conducted national trials in MTB cross-country in June, and in road in July. All three trials were staged under authority of the regional health and safety task force against the pandemic.The 1-2-3 finishers in the other categories were Gwen Hanah Barba, Samantha Rem Yuson and Alexa Ysabel Barba in Women 16-below; Khim Catalbas, Renselle Abada and Ray Gabriel Arat in Men 16-below; Mark Hector Medenilla, Adrian Nino Villanueva and Wendell Barna in Men Master A; and Frederick Farr, Jonathan Verga and Leopoldo Ocampo in Men Master B.

Lea Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr. lived up to expectations on Sunday, as they ruled the elite categories of the Mountain Bike National Trials.