FOR the first time in the history of Philippine cycling, the individual event will take center-stage instead of the usual team competition as the 5th Ronda Pilipinas expects more than 100 riders to hit the road starting on Feb. 8.
the start of bikefest on Feb. 8 in Mindanao during his appearance at
the PSA Forum. He is joined here by National Capital Region Athletic
Association’s Pipo Onrubia, Fidel Rojales and Gerardo Sergio.
SONNY ESPIRITU
Ronda administration director Jack Yabut, appearing before the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at the Shakey’s in Malate yesterday, said that they are doing away with the team-centered format “to give more chances to aspiring, young riders in the country.”
“Most upcoming riders, especially the juniors, cannot join high-level competitions because they have no team sponsors. Now, we are espousing individual competition by welcoming everybody to the eliminations and to qualify for the finals” said Yabut.
Ronda Pilipinas will hold three different qualifiers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to determine the riders competing in the championship race scheduled from Feb. 22 to 27 and offers a top individual purse of P1 million.
“It’s eight stages of racing in six days . Kaya `yung championship round is bakbakan,” added Yabut, who assured that individual qualifiers will be given support by the organizers as they slug it out against elite cyclists from the national team and the two continental teams.
The Mindanao qualifying leg of this road race, which is presented by LBC, is scheduled from Feb. 8 and 9 in Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro, Tubod in Lanao del Norte, and Dipolog.
This will be followed by the Visayas qualifier on Feb. 11 and 12 in Dumaguete, Sipalay, and Bacolod, before holding the Luzon elimination on Feb. 15 and 16 in Antipolo and Tarlac.
The top 30 riders in each qualifier will make it to the championship race where they will join defending champion Reimon Lapaza of Butuan, the Asian Cycling Championship-bound national team bannered by Mark Galedo and Ronald Oranza, and a nine-man composite European team made up mostly of Danish cyclists and two Spanish riders.
“We’ll give more opportunities to Filipino cyclists again,” said the Ronda official, who made it clear the European team can be eligible to vie for the special individual awards, but not for the major prize.
The race, likewise, encourages talented junior riders aged 17-18 to participate and compete against the country’s best.