Team PH rookie gets sprint podium in Biwase 7th stage

Mhay Ann Linda finally got her day in the sun in her first international race in Stage 7 of the 13th Biwase Cup in Vietnam on Tuesday, Mar. 14.

Linda, a rookie on Team Philippines riding out of Team Excellent Noodles, figured in a mad dash to the first of two intermediate sprints in the 135-km stage and finished third behind two Vietnamese riders and a tad ahead of teammate Kate Yasmin Velasco.

Linda’s unassuming attack marked a strong move by Team Philippines which finished third in the stage that was flagged off in Phan Rang City and finished in Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan province.

MHAY ANN LINDA (second from right) rides ahead of teammate Kate Yasmin Velasco in a six-rider breakaway in Stage 7.

Vietnam team Tuyen Tp Hcm Vinama and the Malaysian squad finished better in the stage over Team Philippines fielded by the PhilCycling in preparation for the Cambodia 31st Southeast Asian Games and supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Tagaytay City, MVP Sports Foundation, Standard Insurance, Excellent Noodles and 7-Eleven.

Team captain Avegail Rombaon also made a bold move for the congruent Team Philippines by finishing seventh in the stage dominated by Taiwan’s Lei Ying-Hsiu Taiwan and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thu Mai and Bui Thi Quynh.

It was another bunch finish with all the riders getting identical times of three hours, five minutes and 34 seconds. Time bonuses were awarded to the top three places in both the stage and intermediate sprints.

Filipino rider Maura de los Reyes of the Mixed Team was 11th while Velasco again positioned herself near the front to wind up 14th in the stage.

Linda was in her best stage finish at 19th, followed by Mathilda Krog (28th), Mixed Team rider Jelsie Sabado (42nd) and Marianne Dacumos (48th).

Batriya Chaniporn still led the general classification by 23 seconds over fellow Thai Somrat Phetdarin and 1:05 over Vietnamese Bui Thi Quynh.

Dacumos remained at No. 17 in the general classification, Velasco was No. 21 and De los Reyes at No. 23—both one place better from the previous stage.

Krog, meanwhile, rose four rungs to 42nd and Linda five places to No. 55, but not

Rombaon and Sabado were 29th and 30th, Krog improved to 40th spot and Linda jumped three places to No. 52 in the general classification.

The identical stage times kept Tuyen Biwase-Binh Durong atop the team general classification with Team Philippines still at seventh more than 38 minutes behind.

Stage 8 on Wednesday is a short 115-km ride from Phan Thiết City to Bình Thuận in Lagi Town in Bình Thuận province.