LE TOUR de Filipinas is back for its eighth edition.
It will take on the same destinations but the direction that the 75 cyclists from 15 teams take will be different when action begins Feb. 18 in Legazpi City and ends four days later in Lucena City.
The riders will take a northwesterly route, the reverse of what riders took last year when they took on the challenges offered over roads from within the Bicol and Southern Tagalog region.
“Although we passed through these routes last year, the reverse side is a totally different experience. And that’s what we would like to offer to the participants,” said UCI international commissaire Adolfo Cruz as he describes the routes of the Le Tour de Filipinas 2017.
He spoke of the coming bikefest with event organizer Donna Lina and technical director Paquito Rivas during the launch held yesterday at the Palacio de Manila, Roxas Blvd.
The 15 teams will be composed of 13 foreign continental teams and two local squads.
This time, the route covers a total distance of 726.55 kilometers, with Stage 1, which is presented by Air21, taking place from Legazpi City to Sorsogon City, and covering 164.5 km.
The majestic Mayon Volcano will be the backdrop when they head up a Category 1 climb, and finish on a flat and well-paved route that has Mt. Bulusan volcano within sight.
Stage 2 on Feb 19 will be 177.35 technical ride from Sorsogon to Naga City. It will have the second King of the Mountain point going on a deceptive climb up Tiwi’s hilly coastal road, and into Camarines Sur via Sagnay town.
Next up is a flat 177.35 km Stage 3 race on Feb. 20 Naga City to Daet, Camarines Norte, with Tigaon town being billed as the turning point of the race.
Stage 4 is the longest route at 207.35 km, and is marked with category 2 climb over the enchanting Tatlong Eme route in Atimonan, Quezon.
Kazakhstan’s Oleg Zemlyakov and his team won’t be back to defend his general classification crown after having gone up in the world rankings.
Frenchman Thomas Lebas, who won it in 2015, will be around with the Kinan team.
The other foreign squads are Oliver Real Food Racing (Australia), Keyi Look Sports (China), Attaque Team Gusto (Chinese Taipei), Team Ukyo and Bridgestone Anchor of Japan, Cartucho.Es Pro Cycling (Kuwait), CCN of Korea, Terrenganu (Malaysia), LX Pro and Korail of Korea, Nice Cycling (Switzerland) and Uzbekistan national team.
The local squads are 7-Eleven Sava and the Philippine national team.
Officials of the Philcyling issued a memorandum which restricts all members of the national pool from joining unsanctioned races like the Ronda Pilipinas 2017.
“These two races always collide despite our plea for Ronda to change their race dates. We are obligated to field our team with the Le Tour considering it to be a UCI race,” said Philcycling secretary general Avelino Sumagui.
Sumagui said national team members will lose their license and their national team status if they don’t comply.