OCBC Cycle 2019 sees 6,800-odd cyclists enjoying day out on their bikes

Chia Han Keong
·Editor
OCBC Cycle 2019 participants being flagged off at the start point. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)
OCBC Cycle 2019 participants being flagged off at the start point. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)

SINGAPORE — About 6,800 cyclists participated in the 11th edition of the OCBC Cycle event over the weekend, enjoying the annual cycling fiesta as they rode along Nicoll Highway and the scenic areas of the city.

Sunday (12 May) saw the two biggest mass participation categories – the 23km Straits Times Ride, and the 42km Sportive Ride.

The cyclists were flagged off at the start point at the Singapore Sports Hub by guest-of-honour Grace Fu, the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. After flagging off the first wave at 6.45am, she joined the participants in the morning ride.

OCBC Cycle 2019 participants crossing the finish line at the National Stadium. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)
OCBC Cycle 2019 participants crossing the finish line at the National Stadium. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)
Participants taking a group photo at one of the selfie point during the OCBC Cycle 2019. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)
Participants taking a group photo at one of the selfie point during the OCBC Cycle 2019. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)

Saturday saw the elite cycling teams vying for three titles over a one-kilometre circuit on the roads around the Sports Hub. Each race features teams of four cyclists, riding a total of 10 laps. The race times of all four riders are then averaged for the winning time.

In the OCBC Cycle Speedway Southeast Asia Championship, the final was contested between four teams: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. And it was Philippines which emerged triumphant, clocking 19min 19.550sec to edge out Malaysia (19:19:580). Vietnam came in third (19:20.483).

John Mier, captain of the Philippines team, said, “The race was very close, and we had to ride slower due to the slippery road.

The Philippines crossing the finish line to emerge as champions of the 2019 OCBC Cycle Speedway Southeast Asia Championship, held at the Singapore Sports Hub. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)
The Philippines crossing the finish line to emerge as champions of the 2019 OCBC Cycle Speedway Southeast Asia Championship, held at the Singapore Sports Hub. (PHOTO: OCBC Cycle)

“Thankfully, we managed to overtake the other teams in the last leg, as we put our fastest riders in the back. I’m happy that we won, as this year’s race was especially competitive.”

In the Club Championship, the Specialised Roval Mavericks Team B managed to squeeze past their opponents in the final stretch to finish first in 17:49.390. The defending champions held off the challenges of Matador Racing (17:49.440) and CyclingTraining.cc (17:49.847).

In the Corporate Championship, the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) cycling team launched a powerful sprint in the final lap for the win, clocking 19:48.457. Lendlease Retail finished second with 19:48.960, while Advanced Micro Devices Singapore took third place with 19:50.090.

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