Mountain bikers delivered strong performances, earning chances to represent the country at the third round of the Thailand Cycling Championships, held at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, which has created an outstanding racecourse.
The cycling association has hired a professional mountain bike coach, certified at the highest LEVEL 4 by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), to train the cross-country mountain bikers preparing for the 20th Asian Games in Japan. This coach will assess athletes' form during the Thailand Cycling Championships, Round 3, featuring road and mountain bike events, held at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, Lopburi Province, from 6-8 March. According to “Sergeant Major Muek,” mountain bikers who perform well and stand out in Round 3 may be selected to join the Thai national team for the Asian Games. Meanwhile, Sarusak Jermsomb, Mayor of Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, has transformed the downhill mountain bike course into a beautiful and challenging competition venue.
“Sergeant Major Muek,” General Decha Hemakrasri, Vice President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), President of the ASEAN Cycling Federation (ACF), and President of the Cycling Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, revealed that the Cycling Association of Thailand, together with Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality in Phatthana Nikhom District, Lopburi Province, is organizing the 2026 Thailand Cycling Championships for road cycling competing for the King Bhumibol Trophy and mountain biking competing for the Royal Trophy from 6-8 March 2026 at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality. The competition routes cover the municipality area for both road and mountain bike events. Recently, the Cycling Association appointed Sergeant Major Seri Ruangsiri, coach of the Thai national mountain bike team, to design the courses for downhill, cross-country, and eliminator categories.
“The downhill course starts from the first hill of Khao Phraya Dern Thong, descending approximately 1.2 kilometers to the finish line. This challenging route includes large rocks and a jump hill near the finish, requiring riders to have advanced skills. The creation of this mountain bike course received support from Sarusak Jermsomb, Mayor of Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, who provided machinery and labor to craft one of the best competition courses. Importantly, the route is set in truly beautiful natural surroundings,” General Decha said.
General Decha added that the road cycling route also demands high skills due to a mix of flat sections for high speeds and a climb to the summit of Khao Phraya Dern Thong, which serves as the finish line at a 270-degree viewpoint. Previously, the Cycling Association and Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality jointly organized the “Thailand Open” mountain bike and road cycling championships, Round 1, on 14-15 February 2026. The finish lines for both events were at the summit of Khao Phraya Dern Thong. Participants praised the route for being exciting and tough, requiring strength and endurance; inadequate training might prevent riders from reaching the finish.
“Sergeant Major Muek” also revealed that the Cycling Association hired Mr. Robert Herber Jr., an American professional mountain bike coach certified at UCI LEVEL 4, to train the Thai national mountain bike team preparing for the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. The focus will be on cross-country mountain biking since only cross-country men’s and women’s events award medals at the Asian Games; the downhill event is not included, possibly due to the host's concern over Thai riders like Sergeant Major Female Wipawi Dechabal and Methasit Boonsane, multiple-time Asian champions, who could dominate the gold medals.
Mr. Robert, with over 35 years of experience and currently a UCI instructor training coaches worldwide, will attend the Thailand Cycling Championships Round 3 at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality from 6-8 March to assess the Thai national riders’ strengths and areas needing improvement. He will also observe other competitors, and those who perform exceptionally may be called up to join the national team. Therefore, General Decha urged cross-country mountain bikers to train diligently, as outstanding performance could earn them a spot on the national team for the Asian Games.
General Decha further stated that the Cycling Association, in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, is organizing the “Bike for Life-TCA GREEN CYCLING” health ride on Saturday, 21 February, starting at the municipality office. The 7-kilometer round-trip ride supports green sports activities emphasizing environmental protection, pollution reduction, waste minimization, and combating global warming. Additionally, the association and ThaiHealth are running a campaign against e-cigarettes, which are increasingly popular among youth and pose respiratory health risks and potential cancer hazards. These events will be broadcast live via Facebook Live on the Thailand Cycling Association page and YouTube on the TCA Channel starting at 14:30.
“Mayor Tee,” Mr. Sarusak Jermsomb, Mayor of Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, revealed that the municipality coordinated with technical staff from the Cycling Association to plan the race routes and held meetings with police, health officials, rescue volunteers, and civil defense teams to arrange safety operations during the competition. With prior experience hosting the “Thailand Open” cycling event, the municipality is confident all officials understand their roles well. Residents of Phatthana Nikhom District are ready to warmly welcome cyclists from across the country. The downhill mountain bike course will be both beautiful and challenging for competitors.
For the third round of the Thailand Cycling Championships at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, the Cycling Association will live stream the mountain bike downhill competition on Facebook Live at Thailand Cycling Association and TCA Channel, as well as on YouTube’s TCA Channel on Friday, 6 March at 10:00. On Saturday, 7 March at 14:30, the “Bike for Life-TCA GREEN CYCLING” health ride will be broadcast live. On Sunday, 8 March at 08:00, the road race for the men's public category will be streamed live. Cycling fans can follow the events on these dates and times.
Athletes wishing to register for the road and mountain bike events at the 2026 Thailand Cycling Championships Round 3, held 6-8 March at Khao Phraya Dern Thong Municipality, Phatthana Nikhom District, Lopburi Province, can apply online at the Cycling Association’s website www.thaicycling.or.th until Wednesday, 4 March, before noon. On Thursday, 5 March, registrations will also be accepted at the competition headquarters in front of the municipality office from 11:00 to 17:00. For details, follow the Cycling Association’s Facebook page Thailand Cycling Association or call 0-2719-3340-2 during office hours.