British life insurer Pru Life UK aims to start the new year with a bang with the launch of PRUride PH 2018, expected to be one of the biggest cycling events in the Philippines.

Following the success of PRUride to London in 2016, the 2018 installment is set to gather some of the national team cyclists from the country and across Southeast Asia with two competition legs – January 11 to 14, 2018 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales, and January 21 at McKinley West, Taguig.

At a media launch held at The Brewery in Uptown Bonifacio, Pru Life UK SVP and Chief Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga shares, “More than a gathering of the country’s most passionate cyclists, PRUride PH 2018 continues Pru Life UK’s commitment to promote responsible and safe cycling. We also hope to increase awareness on cycling as an alternative mode of transportation so we can all work towards having a safe and environment-friendly community for the generations to come.”

PRUride PH 2018 promises to be one of the most exciting cycling and sporting events in the coming year. Here are the top three things that professional and amateur cyclists can look forward to.

Two weekends with a line-up of 29 racing activities

With more than 5,000 participants expected to sign up, Pru Life UK arranged several racing segments to cater to a wider range of cyclists, from amateur and age-group riders to Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) license holders. Among the activities included are the Professional Individual Time Trial, Amateur Time Trial, and the 100-kilometer Gran Fondo – all to be held in Subic – and a repeat of the 2016 Criterium races in Taguig.

Seasoned cyclists – including national athletes Marella Salamat and George Oconer – can put their skills to test at the PRUride Professional Road Race, a UCI-accredited (class B) event and a platform for young athletes aspiring to be in the national cycling team to show off their talents. It will also take UCI license holders and elite professionals to a 160-kilometer course, leading them to the historic peak of Mount Samat in the town of Pilar, Province of Bataan.

Likewise, cyclists of all expertise levels are also expected to flock at the PRUride Gran Fondo, which will bring them into the picturesque roads of Bataan province on a leisurely but timed 100-kilometer ride.      

A uniquely Filipino Brompton Challenge

PRUride PH 2018 will also bring in the popular and exciting Brompton Challenge to the country for the very first time. The Challenge will showcase its two main events which will definitely bring laughter, if not tears, to both spectators and participants alike.

The Slowest Lap Challenge is a test of balance where the slowest participant to cross the finish line without stepping on the ground wins the event. On the other hand, the Brompton Criterium, which utilizes the folding bikes of its namesake, is a 30-minute race with two laps.

As the British brand Brompton is marketed as a bike for urban commuters, participants are required to wear a formal top and will begin with their bikes folded at the starting line. At the sound of the horn, participants will run, unfold their bikes and ride. The local Brompton Criterium will be flavored with a Filipino twist and will require riders to wear a barong tagalog or Filipiniana top.

Exclusive and big ticket prizes

This year’s prize pool has increased to a total of more than PhP 1 million worth of cash prizes. PhP 50,000 is at stake for the top finishers of all Elite professional categories for both men and women.

Moreover, six all-expense-paid trips to London will be given away, including two for the grand winners of the men and women Elite Criterium in McKinley West, and two for the men and women Professional Road Race winners in Subic. Two trips will also be raffled off during the Bike Community Days in both locations.

All participants of the event will also get a limited-edition PRUride PH 2018 jersey and all finishers will be awarded with a finisher medal.

PRUride PH 2018 is held in partnership with Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, National Bicycle Organization, and the local government unit of the Province of Bataan. Learn more about the event and register by logging on to http://pruride.ph.