Coming soon: CC Bikeshow!

CEBU - Noel Ting is a computer geek in a climbers body. Even with little training, the guy can scale mountains better than half of his category. He half-seriously calls himself as a born “climber” and everybody would have a good laugh!

Noel is also the founder and owner of probably the most popular cycling website-forum in the country today, www.cebucycling.com. Anybody with an internet connection can easily join and unlike some forums which can be mistaken for M.A.S. (Mutual Admiration Societies), the exchanges between members run from heated to respectful to funny.

CC has come a long way. From a fledgling group of less than 50 members, it has now swelled to around 1500 with membership growing on a daily basis. 

Members are not exclusive to inhabitants of Cebu but worldwide. What started out as a Yahoo! Group finally became a real website almost 3 years ago. And that’s why next month, CC will have its formal celebration of its founding anniversary with lots of activities revolving around a bike show. So keep your eyes here for more information, or better still, visit the website. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.

Tour ng pilipinas is back!

According to posters posted in Busay, the Tour of the Philippines will be back next year with a new title sponsor, LIQUIGAS. In fact, 3 qualifying races are scheduled and if the previous races are used as a measuring stick, around 80 spots will be fought by almost 500 aspiring cyclists.

Unlike in the last Tour, there will be no qualifying races in the Visayas and Mindanao area. Its disappointing of course but then again, if you consider the talent that have came out of Cebu after the Pagnanawons and the Romaleses have retired in the early 90’s, it would make little sense to hold a qualifier here.

If there is a real talent here, it is Nino Surban, a lanky mountain biker from Talamban who could possibly follow the footsteps of the retired greats and win the Tour if he would only devote himself to road racing. As for the rest, it’s my opinion they are at best pack fillers.

Joining a qualifying road race is not easy. For a local elite rider who mostly have no job, a 1-2 week trip is beyond their means. Then there are also the politics in the sport, where your “friends” matter more than your results. Also, accusations of payoffs to race marshals just to ride the Tour is rampant. And with their antiquated technique in determining the final list, the accusations seems to ring true.

I used to help riders a few years for the elimination races back but I realized now that professional cycling is a fools gold. Even if you win the Tour 7-times, it still won’t guarantee the winner a lifestyle befitting a Tour champion.

This is sad because a lot of poor, wide eyed kids think that the Tour is their vehicle to fame and fortune. But unless we’re talking about the tour in France, a good, solid education is a better way to success in life.

RACE RESULTS: CRIT RIDER OF THE MONTH

CAT BI: 1- CELING VILLAROSA, 2- JON SIMBAJON, 3- NONOY ABASOLA 4- EPE RAGASAJO, 5- JOHN ERMITANIO

CAT B: 1- BOY PAGNANAWON, 2- NILO BARBALOSE, 3- RAMON ESPINOSA, 4-JONAN PONGASI, 5- RAMSEY VILLAVER

Quote of the Week: “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life”- Arthur Ashe. – THE FREEMAN