PAOAY, Ilocos Norte—The Tour of Luzon: Great Revival kicks off Thursday in this charming city up north with 119 riders from 17 teams pedaling furiously for eight stages in a bid to claim cycling fame.
Veteran riders Marcelo Felipe and Ronald Oranza together with Jan Paul Morales and George Oconer are just some of the riders to watch as the fabled Tour, now chistened Tour of Luzon: Great Revival, presented by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and organized by DuckWorld PH, returns on the road after six years.
“We are all excited. We are all thankful, the Tour of Luzon is back. This is for Philippine cycling. This is for the Filipino people,’’ said DuckWorld PH chairman Patrick “Pato’’ Gregorio, expressing his gratitude to the MVP Group led by sports godfather Manny V. Pangilinan.
Continental teams Standard Insurance, 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines, Go for Gold Cycling Team and Victoria Sports Pro Cycling will try to fend off the challenge of four foreign squads South Korea’s Gapyeong Cycling Team, Malaysia’s Pro Cycling, Taiwan’s Bryton Racing Team and CCN Factory Hong Kong.
“It’s 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. The cycling community and fans have waited for this race. Now this is the moment,’’ said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol’’ Tolentino.
“We are praying for the safety and health of all riders and all the people involved in this eight-day race especially in this hot weather,’’ added Tolentino, also the president of PhilCycling, which sanctioned the multi-stage race.
Covering 1,074.90 kilometers, the Tour begins with the 190.70-km Paoay-Paoay Stage 1 a day before the 68.39km team time trial from Paoay to Vigan City in Stage 2.
Gregorio will declare the race open by ringing a bell symbolic of cycling’s lap bell in criterium and track races with MPTC Tour of Luzon executive director Arrey Perez in attendance.
The third stage is a 130.33km ride to San Juan, La Union followed by Stage 4 from Agoo to Clark (162.97), the 166.65km Clark-Clark race via New Clark City in Stage 5 and the Clark-Lingayen 168.19km Stage 6.
The individual general classification champion will earn P500,000 while the team champion brings home P1 million in the race also presented by Cignal and backed by Pilipinas Live, Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Health, Megaworld, Landco, PLDT and Smart.
The historic cycling marathon is organized in partnership with Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Go21, Dongfeng, Victory Liner, DOOH, PSSLAI, Unilab, Huawei, Toyota and supported by Microtel by Wyndham, Gatorade, Drivehub and Homestretch.
The race is also endorsed by the POC, Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board, BCDA and MVP Sports Foundation.
Stage 7 is a 15.14km individual time trial from Labrador, Pangasinan to Lingayen while Stage 8 is the queen stage covering 172.53kms from Lingayen to the Scout Hill finish inside Camp John Hay in Baguio City where the champion will be determined.
