Quirimit explodes in opening stage

LEGAZPI CITY — Arnel Quirimit, a skillful rider still trying to catch the big one, won everything that was offered during the initial stage of the 2003 Tour Pilipinas yesterday.

The Armyman from Pangasinan, a five-year veteran of the Marlboro Tour, ruled the testy 183 km stage in an around this charming city, in the process taking top honors in the king of the mountain and sprint sections lined up for the day.

But if there’s one more thing Quirimit accomplished for the day, it’s making himself a marked man in this event offering a juicy P1 million to the team champion and P200,000 to the individual winner.

"Sanay na ako dahil halos taon-taon naman ako ang kumukuha ng first lap. Pareho lang," said the stocky member of the RP team who came closest to winning the Tour title in 1996 when he finished second to Victor Espiritu.

The 27-year-old Quirimit, carrying the colors of Tanduay, won the race, run under varying weather conditions, in four hours, 32 minutes and 53 seconds, barely edging Samsung’s Merculio Ramos, a fellow member of the RP team, in a sprint to the finish.

"Nag-cramps na din ako mga 50 kms pa sa finish kaya hindi ko na nakaya sa rematehan si Arnel," said Ramos, a 24-year-old, all-around rider also worth watching this year.

The two riders broke off from the lead pack heading into the first of two serious climbs near Tabaco City, and they never looked back the rest of the way. Even the heavy rains, which met the 84 cyclists in a downhill portion heading back to Legazpi couldn’t stop them from pushing through.

One after the other, a number of cyclists took spills in the wet, downhill run 30 kms to the finish. Except for the DENR Eco Savers‚ Joseph Servino who suffered bruises on the left side of his body, no one else was hurt. Servino managed to finish the race (13 minutes behind the winner) then declared himself fit to continue.

Placido Valdez of the DILG Drug Busters, the colorful veteran who had his hair dyed gold for the race, finished in a three-man second group two minutes and 43 seconds off the winning pace. With him were Eusebio Quinones of DILG Patrol 117 and Benito Lopez of the BIR Vat Riders.

Santy Barnachea crossed the finish alone in sixth place while the rest of the big guns opted to stay together six minutes behind Quirimit and Ramos. Led by 1986 champion Rolando Pagnanawon, the star-studded group included former champions Warren Davadilla (1998) and Carlo Guieb (1993 and 1994), and the dreaded pair of Lloyd Reynante and Rhyan Tanguilig. Renato Dolosa, winner in 1992 and 1995, came in two minutes later and went straight into a waiting team vehicle.

The second stage of the event now being shouldered by Air 21, the sole licensee of FedEx in the country, is a 91.2 km team time trial from nearby Daraga to Naga City. In the team competition, the seven-to-race, four-to-count format is in effect.