The PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2026 rolls off Monday, February 23, in Tagaytay City, introducing a Masters division and paying tribute to a young rider whose life ended too soon.

This year’s Men Junior category carries the name of the late Mark Arvin España Armendez, a promising Pangasinan talent who passed away last month.

Armendez was a Batang Pinoy gold medalist in road cycling during the Vigan 2022 and Tagaytay City 2023 editions. He also ruled the National Championships in Tagaytay City in 2025.

The 18-year-old died on January 22 after an accident involving an improvised electric fishing device in a swamp behind their home in Barangay Palina East, Urdaneta City.

Expanded program highlights grassroots push

The event presented by Standard Insurance and the MVP Sports Foundation features competitions in the Men and Women Criterium, Individual Time Trial, and Individual Road Race.

Races will be contested across Youth/Junior brackets (12–13, 14–15, and 16–17–18), Under-23, and Elite divisions. The newly added Masters category will stage seven age-group races, further widening participation.

The championships continue to receive strong backing from Tagaytay officials led by Mayor Brent Tolentino. Winners will earn endorsements from PhilCycling to the Asian Cycling Confederation Road Championships and other UCI-sanctioned events.

Tolentino, Gregorio laud strong turnout

Abraham Bambol Tolentino, president of PhilCycling and the Philippine Olympic Committee, welcomed the participation of more than 300 riders across both genders, noting the surge in youth entries.

“This is grassroots development at work,” Tolentino said.

The national meet also aligns with the Philippine Sports Commission’s grassroots thrust under chairman Patrick Pató Gregorio, reinforcing the pipeline for future national team standouts.