Boracay Island—With the staging of the 2019 Le Tour de Langkawi still under discussion, Philippine continental squad 7-Eleven/Cliqq/Air21 Roadbike Philippines, will most likely be joining another tournament this March.
After the 7-Eleven side placed second to Team Matrix Powertag-Japan in the overall team classification of the LBC Ronda 2019, sports director Ric Rodriguez said they may have to change their plans.
The 2019 The Princess Maha Chackri Sirindhorn’s Cup-Tour of Thailand, which will be held from April 1 to 6, will be the next race that Team 7-Eleven will join.
“We need to continue sending riders abroad. If the Tour de Langkawi will not be postponed, we will continue (with our campaign). If not, the next race of team will be the Tour of Thailand,” said Rodriguez after the awarding ceremonies of the LBC-Ronda Pilipinas at the Fairways and Blue Water Resort beachfront.
The Tour de Langkawi 2019 is is scheduled for March 24 to 31. But organizers are reportedly having conflicts of schedules with other events.
Reports said that the Malaysia National Cycling Federation will take over from the current organizers if they are not ready.
“We are excited about Thailand because this is the first time it will have so many climbs. In the past, it was all flat,” said Rodriguez.
Team Matrix Powertag Japan, behind Francisco Perez-Mancebo, took overall team honors after clocking a total time of 58 hours, 31 minutes and 36 seconds, with 7-Eleven trailing by 12 seconds and Navy riders behind by 56 seconds.
Their assistant sports director, Tsugumi Kimura, said Mancebo and his teammates will go back to Japan and get ready for the Tour de Tochigi from March 22 to 24.
Rodriguez said that with the conclusion of the LBC Ronda 2019, they are happy with the conclusion of the race.