A historic celebration of Olympic Day and World Bicycle Day will take place on June 23 in Tagaytay City, headlined by the first-ever Baguio City to Tagaytay road classic, the formal inauguration of the country’s first indoor velodrome, and the signing of Olympic Solidarity contracts for Filipino athletes.

“This is a historic first not only for the Olympic Movement but also for Philippine cycling,” said Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, president of both the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and PhilCycling, who is also mayor of Tagaytay.

The occasion coincides with Tagaytay City’s 87th charter day on June 21, adding further significance to what Tolentino calls “perhaps, the most unique celebration in the world.”

A 288-km road challenge and a world-class velodrome

Leading the festivities is a 288-kilometer one-day road race that begins at Camp John Hay in Baguio City and finishes at the newly constructed Tagaytay City Velodrome along Crisanto de los Reyes Avenue. The elite race will showcase the top 30 finishers from the MPTC Tour of Luzon, traversing major expressways including TPLEX, SCTEX, NLEX, Skyway, SLEX, and CALAX.

“It’s all about speed and endurance,” said Tolentino, who credited sports patrons Manuel V. Pangilinan, Ramon S. Ang, and corporate partners MPTC, San Miguel Corp. Infrastructure, Camp John Hay, and Duckworld PH for making the event possible.

The newly inaugurated Tagaytay City Velodrome—a UCI-standard, 250-meter indoor wooden track—will serve as a hub for local and international cycling events, reviving the track cycling discipline, which offers 10 gold medals each for men and women at major competitions.

Athlete support and preparation for SEA Games

Also part of the celebration is the signing of Olympic Solidarity contracts by scholars from various sports disciplines under the supervision of the POC. These contracts ensure structured support for athletes gearing toward the Olympics and other major international events.

Tolentino confirmed that the Philippines will field both men and women cyclists in the omnium track events at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, signifying the start of an active cycling campaign for the new velodrome.

“This is to get the wheels rolling for the new velodrome which we anticipate to be one of the velodrome hubs in Asia,” said Tolentino.

With cycling at the forefront, Olympic Day 2025 in the Philippines is shaping up to be a monumental step in boosting national sports development and infrastructure.