MARK GALEDO will cede his continental team jersey in favor of his commitment to the flag and country as he tries to regain the crown he won three years ago in the Le Tour de Filipinas that kicks off from February 18 to 21 in southern Luzon.
A top rider for continental team 7 Eleven Road Bike Philippines, Galedo and Rustom Lim were given the go signal to ride for the National Team in the 726.55-kilometer race presented by Air21 by Team Manager Rick Rodriguez and Principal Bong Sual.
The move heeded the call of PhilCycling President Abraham Tolentino for national cyclists to shed off their continental and club teams’ jerseys in favor of their commitment to the national team.
The nationalistic gesture further inspired organizers of the only International Cycling Union-sanctioned road race in the country, who promised more challenges and technical riding in the four-stage competition.
“For the 2017 edition, expect that it will be really amazing because it’s our eighth year. Of course, the beauty of Mayon [Volcano] will be a great view for the cyclists and the organizing committee made sure that it will be safe for all the riders to take part in this wonderful and challenging race,” Le Tour de Filipinas organizer and UBE Media Inc. President Donna Lina said.
Stage One of the Le Tour—again presented by AIR21 and specially produced by UBE Media Inc.—from Legazpi City to Sorsogon City covers 164.5 kms. The cyclists will be flagged off with a picturesque view of Mayon Volcano sending them off and the mystique of Mount Bulusan staring at them as they negotiate a Category 1 climb and head to the finish on flat and well-paved roads.
Stage Two on February 19 of the race that has Philippine Airlines as official airline partner will again be a technical ride from Sorsogon to Naga City—all of 177.35 kms but marked by the second King of the Mountain point on a deceptive climb on Tiwi’s hilly coastal road entering Camarines Sur via Sagnay town.
With the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart Communications and Petron as principal sponsors of the race also ran by race officials of the PhilCycling led by Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham Tolentino, the Le Tour will embark on a relatively flat 177.35 kms Stage Three on February 20 from Naga City to Daet, Camarines Norte. And for the first time in Philippine Tour history, Tigaon town plays a major role as a turning point for the race which carries the theme for 2017 “Eight’s Amazing.”
Stage Four of the race supported by Advance Solutions, Inc., Cargohaus, Inc., CCN Sports Philippines, Nague Malic Magnawa & Associates Customs Brokers (NMM), Phenom Sportswear and Unionbank on February 21 is the longest at 207.35 kms marked by a Category 2 climb over another enchanting Quezon landmark, Atimonan’s Tatlong Eme.
Oleg Zemlyakov and his Vino Forever Team are not returning to defend the general classification crown because the 23-year-old from Kazakhstan has since gone up the UCI Road ladder since last year’s edition.
But Frenchman Thomas Lebas, the 2015 winner, was listed on Kinan Cycling Team’s roster for the Category 2.2 race also backed by 3E Logistics, Collab Printing Solutions, Destilleria Limtuaco, Integrated Waste Management, Inc. (IWMI), PLDT, U-Freight Logistics Inc. (UFL), Prudential Guarantee Insurance, Waste and Resources Management Inc. (WARM), Shopinas.com and UBE Express.
The foreign teams are Oliver’s Real Food Racing (Australia), Keyi Look Sport (China), Attaque Team Gusto (Chinese Taipei), Kinan Cycling, Team Ukyo and Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team (Japan), Cartucho.Es Pro Cycling (Kuwait), CCN Cycling Team (Laos), Terenganu Cycling (Malaysia), LX Pro Cycling and Korail Cycling Team (South Korea), Nice Cycling( Switzerland) and Uzbekistan National Team. Carrying the fight for the Philippines are the 7 Eleven Sava Road Bike Philippines continental team and the PhilCycling National Team.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes, Nonie Reyes