Eusebia Nicole Quinones, the daughter of a retired national rider who clinched numerous mountain biking titles, is taking her game to the next level.
Expect her to achieve new heights as she continues to improve under Olympic veteran and Japanese national champion Kohei Yamamoto since joining the professional women’s club team, Asian Union TCS Racing Team, last January.
The 22-year-old Quinones recently celebrated her first title conquest under an international club team at the 2024 7-Eleven Trail 40-km cross-country mountain bike race at Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal last Sunday.
Overall, it was twenty-two-year-old Emmanuel Dave Montemayor who topped the event.
Montemayor banked on his familiarity with the routes offered to take the overall top honors for a second straight year and was alone in the last 10 kilometers of an uphill trek to the Skyline finish line.
Quinones, whose father, Eusebio Quinones, used to handle her in the national pool, was ahead of Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Shane Yaoyao following an uphill sprint to the finish line.
“Na-flat ako bago ako nag-sprint. Buti na lang, nakabawi,” said Quinones, following her chase in the last 300 meters with Yaoyao.
Quinones took the top honors in two hours, 15 minutes, and 14 seconds, three seconds in front of Yaoyao during the event, which attracted around 1,041 enthusiasts.
This will be Quinones’ second race under the pro team that she joined, after placing 10th in the 2024 Thailand Moutain Bike Cup in Khanchanaburi, Thailand last month.
Her father, Eusebio, secured victory in the 55-above category with a time of 2:04.17 during the event, which offered a top purse of P25,000 to the winner.
Justine Anastacio dominated the men’s 16-18 category, and James de la Cruz emerged victorious in the 19-24 division. Nicole’s elder brother, Matthew, secured the 10th spot in the 15–24-year-old age category.
Yamamoto, an Olympic veteran with at least four appearances, observed Quinones as he and members of Team Asian Union navigated the trail, using it as part of their training.
“I did not race. But it’s a very nice track. I had a fast time,” remarked Yamamoto, who took his group of riders to Indonesia for a training camp the following day, including Nicole.
Members of the ACS team also include Indonesian Bella Sayu, Yuta Matsumoto of Japan, and Riyadh Lukman.
Quinones expressed her plans to participate in international pro races this year, focusing on mountain bike events while she has time on her hands after completing her studies in tourism management.
“Sasali ako, at sasama ako sa mga international pro races this year. Focus muna ako sa mga mountain bike races, habang malakas pa,” added Nicole, who will now have time in her hands, now she’s finished her studies as a tourism management student.
IMPRESSIVE TRAIL
The challenging 40-km single-loop course at Timberland Heights incorporates road climbs, fire roads, and single tracks, strategically categorized into A-Line and B-Line segments.
Organizers said the trail’s goal was to instill a sense of accomplishment upon completing the demanding race,
This will allow participants to enjoy the experience of going through the unique terrain of Timberland Heights’ captivating natural and scenic setting.
There are other challenges inside the park, which include the Skills Zone, which is tailored for beginners and first-time participants, by providing a gentle introduction to mountain biking.
Point Break featured twisty, cross-country-style singletrack, while Enter The Dragon boasts of fast ridgeline descent, combined with challenging technical trail features.
Trails were graded according to difficulty levels, and an intuitive signage system ensured easy navigation for all participants.