Road Raging!

CEBU, Philippines - No, this is not about the people like Rolito Go or folks who need to manage their anger when they are behind the wheel. Road Rage is the title of the multi-stage, multi-day bicycle road race that Cebu Cycling is organizing.

CC's Road Rage routes will be different from the usual routes and the three stages will be evenly distributed to the climbers, the time triallist and the sprinters.

The organizers of Road Rage, which includes Miguel Flores, Bogart dela Rosa, Mark Olan and yours truly, believed that now is the right time organize a different kind of bike race. It used to be that organizers of local bike racing used to raise funds for a race, which mostly go to the prize kitty. In other words, prizes are what attract the participants.

The idea of Road Rage is to present a race in which the participants pay the organizers to put up a superior event sans the prize money. Instead, safety, complete and fast results in a highly competitive but friendly atmosphere will be offered. Simply put, this is sports tourism, and is just like going to the movies where you pay to get entertained.

The sport of cycling, especially categorized competition has long been a staple in Luzon and in some Asian countries. But for whatever reason, it was slow to evolve here in Cebu. Our blueprint is based on the Vuelta Dagupan and the Tour of Matabungkay, two of the most well attended and most well organized, non-professional bike races in the country today. Hopefully, we can level up to these events in the future.

The event will be held on November 30-December 1 in the south of Cebu. Stage 1 which is scheduled in the morning, is an 18km Individual Time Trial (ITT), an out and back route that starts just outside the outskirts Carcar City. Riders, which will be flagged off at 1-minute intervals, will then proceed north to Sibonga before turning back to Carcar.

After a few hours of respite, the cyclists will then do Stage 2. Starting at the Carcar Circle, the peloton will proceed west to the 8km climb to Barangay Guadalupe then turn left to the dreaded Vegetable Highway before plunging down to the town of Barili. If the riders think that the challenge is done, they're wrong! They have to tackle the climb up to the Milk Station where Stage 2 ends. Stage 3 will be held following day and will be held closer to home, at the South Reclamation Area. It will be a 1-hour plus 5-lap crit. Two categories will be contested, the U-40yo and the 40+yo cats.

Manila based teams have expressed interest in this event and a few have informed us that they will be joining. For more information, please go to www.cebucycling.com. Registration forms will also be available in selected bike shops around the city.

See you at the races!

Finally, the prolific Denver Broncos and the perfect Kansas City Chiefs will meet for the Monday Night Football. Game time is 9:40 am. My prediction: Broncos will win! (FREEMAN)