Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino with UCI president David Lappartient of France. Handout/POC

MANILA -- Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino recently expressed his support for France's David Lappartient in his bid for the top post of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Tolentino met Lappartient in Harbin -- the venue of the 9th Asian Winter Games -- on Friday where they discussed pertinent topics in cycling as well as IOC matters.

"From a casual conversation—hellos and how are you?—to the more significant topics concerning cycling and the forthcoming IOC presidential elections," said Tolentino, who also heads PhilCycling. 

Tolentino said that Lappartient, the chief of the International Cycling Union (UCI), inquired about the state of the sport in the Philippines and "expressed full support to our track program."

"He was just too happy to learn that an indoor UCI-standard velodrome in Tagaytay City will be operational in a few months," the POC president added.

A velodrome is being built in Tagaytay City and is expected to be operational by the middle of the year. The facility replaces the concrete and outdoor Amoranto Velodrome which the Quezon City government reportedly intends to demolish to give way to a football field.

"Dave also got serious about the IOC elections in March, stressing on his program for the world's top sporting organization," said Tolentino.

READ: Coe among seven candidates to succeed Bach as IOC president

Lappartient, who heads France's NOC, is one of seven candidates vying for the position that Thomas Bach will vacate after 12 years.

The election is on March 21 in Olympia, Greece.

"We're hoping and praying for Dave to win that election, and I personally believe he's the most capable to lead the Olympic movement," said Tolentino.

Lappartient traces his serious involvement with cycling to the Philippines when in 1995, he was a young member of the commissaires panel that supervised the country's hosting of the Asian road and track championships at Amoranto and Subic.

He flew into Harbin from Bangkok where he witnessed the elections of the Asian Cycling Confederation last Thursday.