Bans Mendoza

There are very few, if at all, names in the local mountain biking scene as recognizable, and held to the highest regard, as Bans Mendoza. A veteran of the famed Crankworx (among countless others), Bans is arguably the most accomplished mountain biker in the Philippines. Known by many simply as “Coach Bans”, he’s continually updating and upgrading his own skills while guiding the next generation of athletes towards global competition.

FLY RACING

Before we even begin to talk about the man, let’s go through his epic race rundown first:

• UCI – DHI Masters World Championships, 2013-2019
• Crankworx Garbanzo, 2019
• Crankworx Fox AirDH, 2019
• Crankworx Giant Toa Enduro, 2020
• Crankworx Fox AirDH, 2020
• Crankworx Rotorua DH, 2020

By the way, he was the champion in his most recent race in Crankworx, Rotorua, right before the world locked down, and just this year he made his way back to the international circuit again and of course, won again.

That’s why Parabanne “Bans” Mendoza is, by all accounts, clearly a winner. But what makes all his feats and accomplishments more impressive is his character, Bans has been and continues to be one of the most humble and often times, reserved athletes of all time. Choosing to let his riding do all of the talking for him, it speaks volumes.

RIDING THE WORLD WITH FLY RACING

For a few years now, Bans has led Fly Racing Philippines as their resident Coach and Riders Program Director to multiple podium finishes in and out of the country. His hands-on, or better yet “on-the-bike” approach to leadership has given birth to arguably the country’s best MTB Enduro/DH team, spearheaded by none other than rising star Nammi Gardoce herself–who recently raced and placed internationally as well. When it comes to riding and racing out of the country, Bans enjoys every experience.

Bans shared his excitement about meeting ‘The GOAT,’ Greg Minnaar, at his bike shop in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. ‘What an experience that was,’ he said with a smile. Reflecting on the differences between local and international competitions, Bans noted, ‘The level of competitiveness, especially on the more technical trails, is a huge contrast. The trails are designed in a way that demands a diverse set of skills, not just raw pedaling power.’

READYING THE NEXT-GEN RIDERS

Besides being a world-class athlete, Bans is also endearingly-known as “Coach Bans”, his passion to race matched perfectly, sometimes more, than his passion to teach, to guide, and to inspire. When asked about who in the biking world inspires him, he answers, “of course it’s Hans Rey, the reason why I bike.”

You’ll see Coach Bans at The Bike Playground a lot, coaching and mentoring not just in the pumptrack and how to maneuver, but around it as well, teaching mountain bike skills and sometimes, even tricks. More than just a racer, Bans is a

• PMBIA Certified Coach
• Coach and Riders Program Director, Fly Racing Philippines
• Board of Director, Bikes for the Philippines
• UCI MTB Commissaire

placing him in that unique spot between rockstar and mad scientist.

You can really see it when he teaches, the amount of attention to detail and commitment that he gives to his students, regardless of riding level — Coach Bans mentors everyone from people who just got into biking during the pandemic and want to progress, all the way to up and coming stars such as Kimi Grande.

NEVER FORGET

We asked Bans what race was most memorable to him, “GNET Downhill National Race in La Union,” he says, the track was complete, starts out pedally into a big step down, jumps that you have to hit precisesly or else you fall off a cliff, then a steep and tight rock garden complete with roots and twisted natural turns, it all ends with huge gap jumps before finish line.”

“I’ll never forget that race, not only because I placed first, but also because I was able to do it with riders I looked up to,” Bans continues, “I found out that ‘oh, I can do this,’ I can race with the best in the country as long as I work hard for it.”

LOCAL LEGEND. LITERALLY.

Bans Mendoza, champion and coach, is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and inspiring athletes to aspire to. A leader in and out of the trails and tracks, he’s one of those people you can’t help but root for, or dare we say, idolize. The most ironic thing about it is that he’s so uncomfortable with all that, he’ll just laugh it off and get back to teaching you how to manual, how to keep your heels down, and ultimately, how to get better by being you.