An unassuming Rex Luis Krog bagged the Men Junior silver medal of road race in the Asian Cycling Championships yesterday (Saturday) in Naypyidaw, Myanmar – booking what could yet be the biggest accomplishment of his budding career.
Krog, who will turn 18 in May 14, clocked two hours, 32 minutes and 49 seconds and finished 11 seconds behind breakaway partner Taisei Hino of Japan (2:32:38) and 12 seconds ahead of Wachirawit Saenkhamwong (2:33:01) to snatch the country’s first Asian championships medal after Rustom Lim’s bronze also of road race in 2011 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The start list consisted of 43 of the most promising cyclists in the continent with Krog and his coach, Ednalyn Calitis Hualda, proving that cycling, among others, is not a battle of brute strength and stamina, but also more of a scientific approach suited to the rider and the route.
A natural climber in the making, Krog, who traces his roots to cycling hotbed Nueva Ecija and now resides in Caloocan, was instructed to shift to a heavier gear—a strategy that allowed the team sent by the PhilCycling headed by Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino to end a seven-year medal drought in the continental championships.
