Missing the summer spectacle

While driving to the western town of Balamban last Saturday with my summer camp roommate and mistah Jonathan Baldevarona, we talked about an event that once lorded over every other sporting competition during the summer months - the now defunct Marlboro Tour.

The long stretches of roads in Luzon and in a few occasions also that of Visayas and even Mindanao were the playground of the men of the Tour or Luzon, which eventually was named Tour of the Philippines when it covered the southern part of the country.

Although the race was won mostly by riders from Luzon, in 1986, a Cebuano from barangay Linao of Talisay, Cebu was crowned overall champion - Rolando Pagnanawon.

Why my classmate and I talked about the event was not because I don't smoke and he does, but because I have been a big fan of that annual race since way before I learned to ride a bike, while at one time in his life, my classmate was also chief marshal of the race being an officer of the Highway Patrol Group of the Philippine National Police.

Now back to Pagnanawon. I only came to know about the guy from the accounts on the newspaper articles and the Sports magazine that I would sometimes rent at a newsstand in the downtown area to read.

The first time I saw him in person was when I was having my nameplate made at the old M. Tolaram outlet in the downtown area and then came this guy lugging a huge trophy asking if they could engrave his name on it. 

The man was Rolando Pagnanawon, who was once a manangiti (a person who climbs coconuts to collect the sap that eventually becomes what we locally call tuba or coconut wine), and then the biggest star of Philippine cycling.

Unfortunately, laws have barred tobacco companies from sponsoring sports events leaving the Tour without a major backer.

I am not too familiar with what happened next, because since then, the annual summer cycling spectacle has never been the same. But then I remain hopeful that someday the boys of summer will be riding high again in a tour that would attract a lot of attention nationwide.

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Although I have a few Italian friends like Rudy Project's Gabriele Boschi and Marco Anzani of the now famous Anzani at Nivel Hills, I know very little of their language.

This does not however keep me away from the Italian channel on SkyCable TV as it carries Serie A football action and these days, a live feed of the Giro D' Italia.

What makes the Giro special is that my favorite cyclist of all-time and the man, who has inspired millions of cancer patients around the world - Lance Armstrong, is back on the saddle.

Lance has yet to make a major impact in his comeback, but seeing him ride competitively once again is another boost to those suffering from cancer.

If you don't know it yet, Lance survived testicular cancer and his yellow baller band is a reminder of that fight that we must all support.

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Milestones: Belated birthday greetings to my friends, who all turned a year older yesterday. They are Rep. Pablo John Garcia, golfer Jojo Tiongko, and cameraman Philip Patricio.

Happy birthday to my fraternity brother Joseph Emerson Joehl Subong, my compadre Eleodoro 'Nonoy' Mongaya, Jr. and to the husband of business ed Joefel Banzon, Seno or Jun-jun, who all turn a year older today.

More power to all of you!