Aiming to further elevate cycling’s popularity in the Philippines, Larga Pilipinas announced a six-stage race from the cycling hub of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija all the way to the mountain city of Baguio.
Organizers anticipate exceeding their previous record of 10,000 participants from a race held seven years ago in Edsa and Marikina, emphasizing the event’s accessibility.
“We call this a people’s race and a race for all, so we’re expecting a bigger turnout,” stated Larga Pilipinas operations director Snow Badua at Thursday’s Manila launch.
Larga chairman Atty. Froi Dayco added that at least 10 professional teams, including Go for Gold and Metro Pacific Tollways Drivehub, the recent Tour of Luzon champions, will compete.
Expect Jan Paul Morales and Jonel Carcueva to be back to renew their rivalry.
Morales will once again don the uniform of Standard Insurance-Philippines when the 809-km bikefest gets going from August 2 to 7.
Carcueva will also be there with his MPT Drivehub, the team champin of the recent Tour of Luzon.
Morales placed second overall in the revived tour, behind South Korean Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong Cycling Team.
Carcueva of MPT Drivehub landed third back then.
The routes that Morales and Carcueva journeyed were mostly flat routes, with the last stage filled with climbs as riders headed for Baguio City for the final stage.
This time, participants in the men’s pro elite will negotiate flat road stages in Cabanatuan and Mangaldan, Pangasinan in the first two two days.
Then, riders will head north and uphill to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Banaue, Sagada and Baguio City in the last four stages.
“Hindi mo agad masasabi kung sino ang makakuha ng overall dito. Dahil hindi crucial ang mga ruta sa karera, kundi ang team effort,” said Sunshine Joy Vallejos, Larga Pilipinas’ elite commissaire.
Also joining are riders from Victoria Sports, Go For Gold, 7-Eleven, D’Reyna and Excellent Noodles.
Organizers are looking at having regional participants from the Visayan and Mindanao regions, along with another team of riders from Pangasinan, known as a hub for cycling.
“Natutuwa tayo na tuluy-tuloy ang mga cycling races after the Tour of Luzon. Marami ang sumusuporta,” said Dayco.
The races wil also include events for the masters and the ex-pros, several age group categories, the youth section, two for the women’s side.