The 16-17-year-old podium finishers in the road cycling events of the 2024 Batang Pinoy, set to begin this weekend in Puerto Princesa City, will earn priority slots for the national junior team competing in the 31st Asian Junior Road Cycling Championships in Thailand this February.

Philippine Olympic Committee President and PhilCycling head Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino confirmed the development, along with the announcement of the 2025 National Championships for Road slated for February 24–28 in Tagaytay City and nearby towns in Cavite’s Eighth District, including Ternate and Maragondon.

The Asian Cycling Confederation will host the championships in Thailand from February 7–16, 2024, featuring elite, under-23, junior, and para categories. Following its full representation in the 2023 edition held in Kazakhstan, the PhilCycling aims to send a complete delegation again next year.

At least one slot each for boys and girls in the individual time trial (ITT) and individual road race (IRR) will be up for grabs in Batang Pinoy. These races are scheduled for November 26 (ITT) and November 27 (IRR), with both starting and finishing within the historic Iwahig Penal Colony, also known as the “Prison Without Walls.”

Parents and guardians are advised to secure passports for participants to facilitate smooth registration for the Asian championships, pending approval by the PhilCycling Evaluation Committee.

The Criterium event, however, is excluded from the Asian championships program but will still feature prominently in the 2025 National Championships for Road. These will include the Criterium, ITT, and various road races staged across scenic routes in Batangas and Tagaytay City.

The schedule for the National Championships is as follows:

• February 24: Criterium races
• February 25: ITT races
• February 26: Men Junior road races
• February 27: Men Under-23 and Women Elite road races
• February 28: Men Elite road races