British life insurance company Pru Life UK tapped three health and fitness ambassadors to champion the company’s advocacy of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through cycling. Actor Zoren Legaspi, TV host and former volleyball player Gretchen Ho, and TV host Kuya Kim Atienza will join the country’s biggest cycling festival, PRURide PH 2019 as its official ambassadors.

The PRURide PH 2019 Official Ambassadors

These three are no stranger to cycling as Ho and Legaspi previously joined PRURide PH, while kuya Kim has completed triathlons here and abroad. While they may practice different disciplines, all three share a passion for cycling, health and fitness.

Legaspi is an avid cyclist who discovered the sport after developing knee problems from playing tennis. He now enjoys the adrenaline of getting on a bike and has competed and placed in several cycling races.

He considers his years of experience in cycling and non-stop practice as an advantage. “My experience is my training. Even if there’s no race, I’m always prepared because I never stopped preparing. It’s back to zero if you stop, even for just one month,” he cautions. He also adds that cycling begins with knowing one’s self and testing one’s limits in distance, speed, and elevation.

A collegiate volleyball star, Ho was inspired to cycle after seeing Filipino-American world tour cyclist Coryn Rivera win the 2017 Prudential RideLondon Classique in the United Kingdom. She intensified her conditioning and strengthening routines to conquer PRURide PH which she treats as a new adventure.

“Don’t be afraid to ride. Take it step by step since it’s all about conquering your fear,” she encourages. “Enjoy the process because riding a bike is a liberating feeling. Slowly but surely, you’ll get to where you want to be.”

Atienza committed to different sports including cycling after having a stroke in 2010. Today, he competes as a triathlete and, like Legaspi, finds it easier to race with constant preparation. He says that the more seat time a rider puts in, the easier to finish long distance races.

“Long warm-ups are important at my age. It’s been helpful because I like longer distances. The young ones are fast, but they get tired easily. When I’ve warmed up I beat them.” He reveals that good, quality gear is just as important, but that the most crucial thing is to get on any bike. “Ride within your means; it doesn’t have to be expensive. The important thing is you just have to bike.”

All three will cycle at the Gran Fondo, a non-competitive race in 30-, 60-, and 100-kilometer rides in Subic.

They will likewise grace the two weekends of PRURide PH 2019, which will see professionals, beginners and enthusiasts from across Asia participating in cycling categories of different expertise levels.

PRURide PH 2019 kicks off in Filinvest, Alabang

The first leg on April 7 in Filinvest, Alabang will have the high-speed criterium categories and the Small Wheels Challenge. The second leg, to be held at Harbor Point in Subic, Zambales, will stage the Masters Race on May 25 and the Gran Fondo on May 26.

Both weekends will likewise feature fun activities for the whole family such as the Philippine Strider Cup, Zumba sessions, an inflatable playground, massage and health check stations, face paint booths, and mini-concerts, among many others.         

Moreover, Virtual Race will hold its next preliminaries on March 29-31, April 27-29, and May 10-12, and will conclude on May 26 in Subic.

PRURide PH 2019 is set to be the festival’s grandest celebration yet, with more than 2,500 cyclists expected to join categories of different expertise levels and over PhP 2 million worth of cash prizes to be given away.

Catch our celebrity cyclists in action at PRURide PH 2019! Register now and learn more about the event at www.pruride.ph.