By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
PAOAY, Ilocos Norte – The Tour of Luzon, long considered as one of the country’s biggest summer spectacles, is back on the road on Thursday, April 24, with a total of 119 cyclists from 17 local and foreign teams eager to re-produce the magic – and glory – that had made the event a can’t miss tradition.
The first of the 8-day odyssey on wheels is set to start at 8 a.m. in front of the breathtaking San Agustin Church of Paoay, a world heritage site, with riders expected to traverse the 190.7-kilometers journey that will see them pass through quaint local towns of Pasuquin, Bangui and Burgos, all the way back to Marcos Avenue.
Standard Insurance Philippines remains one of the teams to look out for in this race dubbed as “The Great Revival” after being shelved in 2019, owing to its veteran-laden squad composed of Ronald Oranza, George Oconer, Ronald Lomotos, Jan Paul Morales, Junrey Navarra, Jeremy Lizardo and Dave Cangayao.
All of the 119 steel-legged riders are presumed to have the heart and willpower to brave the already searing summer heat, different kinds of terrain and the “tactical maneuverings” of the opposition – all for their quest for greatness.
The 32-year-old Oranza, for one, boasts of winning 3 UCI races and is a double bronze medalist at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, while Morales is part of the national team that won bronze in the men’s team trial of the 2019 SEAG.
Still, Standard Insurance coach Reinhard Gorantes remains cautious because the field can be unpredictable.
“Lahat ng nasa lineup, pambato yun. Nasa near top level na kami, pero let’s see kung ano ang makakaya namin,” said Gorantes, who added that they trained here for one month before the race.
Also competing in the race are local bets Exodus Army Cycling Team, Go for Gold PH, Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team, Dreyna Orient Cement, Excellent Noodles Cycling Team, Dandex T-Prime Cycling Team, MPT Drivehub Cycling Team, PH Under 23 Tom ‘N Toms Coffee, Crest Forwarder (1Team Visayas), One Cycling Mindanao, 7-eleven Cliqq Roadbike PH and Team Pangasinan.
Gapyeong Cycling Team from South Korea, meanwhile, spearheads the foreign squads out to challenge their Filipino counterparts, along with CCN Factory Racing Hong Kong, Malaysia Pro Cycling, and Bryton Racing Team.
El Joshua Cariño, a 2018 Le Tour de Filipinas champion who is now Victoria’s Sports Team Director, is also upbeat of their chances with reigning national road champion Marcelo Felipe and Nichol Pareja bannering their crew.
“Nakapag-prepare naman kami. Sa Europe kami nag-build up for one month. Maganda yung ruta, exciting. And hindi pwedeng i-underestimate yung ibang teams,” said Cariño.
After the Paoay-Paoay Stage 1, the 1,074.90-kilometer race continues on Friday, April 25 with the 68.39-km team trial Stage 2, 130.33-km Vigan-San Juan Stage 3, 162.97-km Agoo-Clark Stage 4, 166.65 Clark-Clark (via New Clark City) Stage 5, 168.19 Clark-Lingayen Stage 6, 15.14-km individual time trial Labrador-Lingayen Stage 7 and finally the queen Stage 8 which is a 172.53-km from Lingayen to the Scout Hill finish inside Camp John Hay in Baguio City.
The race covers at least 60 cities and municipalities in seven provinces in North and Central Luzon—Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Pampanga.
The individual overall winner will bring home P500,000 and the overall team champion will pocket P1 million.
“It is a thrilling and exciting time for all cycling enthusiasts and fans all over the country as the Great Revival of Tour of Luzon is now going to happen today. The cycling community and fans have waited for this race,” said Philcycling President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is also the Philippine Olympic Committee chief.
