CLARK, Pampanga. — Saying goodbye to a diploma, at least for now, in exchange for a bike is never easy—a judgment call that is appearing to be the right decision for upstart cyclist Ean Cajucom of Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team.
“Nag-start akong mag-bike siguro mga 10 years old po ako,” Cajucom said. “Uso rin kasi ang cycling sa Marikina and nasa family din namin talaga.
“Hindi na po ako nakapagpatuloy ng pag-aaral dahil kinuha na po ako ng Victoria para sumama sa kanilang team,” he added.
Cajucom spoke after winning the Vigan City to San Juan, La Union third leg in a mad dash of the returning Tour of Luzon Saturday.
Born and raised in Fortune, Marikina, Cajucom stole the thunder from his more illustrious rivals in the 130-km lap, clocking two hours, 51 minutes, and 42 seconds.
Coming from a family of cyclists that includes father Romeo Camingao and brother John Mark Camingao, Cajucom, 22, saved the day for the Pinoys against foreign standout Ahmad Syazrin Awan Ilah of Malaysia Pro Cycling Team, who ended second in the race presented by Duckworld PH and Cignal.
Dreyna Orion Cement’s Poul Aquino finished third with the same time as Ilah and Cajucom in an eight-man lead pack that persevered in the mostly flat but congested roads of Ilocos Sur up to the popular surfing attraction in the fabled summer cycling spectacle making its big comeback dubbed “The Great Revival.”
Stand Insurance Philippines’ main gun Ronald Oranza and Dominic Perez of Exodus Army made up the top five in Stage 3 of the race that offers P500,000 for the overall individual champion and a cool P1 million pot for the team overall winner that is also backed by Pilipinas Live, Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Health, Megaworld, Landco, PLDT and Smart.
The Tour is also supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board, BCDA and MVP Sports Foundation.
South Korean opening race winner Dae Yeong Joo of Gapyeong kept the yellow jersey with an aggregate time of 7:04:27—a little over four minutes to Oranza’s 7:08:59 and Go For Gold’s Aidan James Mendoza (7:13:39).
Ditto with Standard Insurance, which retained the team general classification lead with a time of 28:38:24, followed by close second MPT Drivehub Cycling Team (28:38:43), and Exodus Army (28:39:37).
Cajucom bared his team’s ploy in Stage 3, hoping it will work wonders anew in the 163.76-km Agoo to Clark fourth race Sunday here.
“Noong Stage 1 kasi nagkamali kami. Wala kaming tao sa harap, napabayaan namin,” he said. “Kaya nagkaroon kami ng idea kung anong gagawin namin at nasunod naman ngayon.
“Sprinter ako ng team. Ako iyong para sa mga flat stages para mayroon akong maibigay na power sa last kilometers.”
Cajucom, who also competes overseas—take risks—both in life and in cycling. Only time will tell if it’s all worth it.
