Quirimit crowned Tour king

In the revival of the fabled summer event that had everything but a thrilling finish, Arnel Quirimit came, saw, and conquered to emerge the first tour champion of the country in the 21st century.

Gallantly defending his hold of the yellow jersey in the 150-kilometer criterium race around Intramuros yesterday, the 27-year-old Armyman and national rider completed his triumph against time, elements and worthy opponents as he claimed the championship in the 18-day, 15-lap Air21 Tour Pilipinas 2003.

He rose above the swirl of thrills and spills, conspiracies and controversies, tales of betrayal in the race around Luzon spread over 2,500 kilometers, hitting pay dirt with a cash prize of P200,000.

And there were a lot more with the Tanduay Rhum skipper ruling four stages that included the Team Time Trial race from Daraga, Albay to Naga and holding the overall leadership in eight days.

Counting a third-place and two fifth-place lap finishes and his share in Tanduay’s P100,000 prize as fourth placer in the team competition, Quirimit pocketed over P300,000 in the Tour presented by Air21 and sponsored FedEx, Mail & More, Accel, Longines, Look-Vittoria-Selle Italia, BPI-MS, Lipovitan, Philtranco and San Mig Light.

"Ise-save ko ito, dahil mahirap ang buhay ng siklista. Mahirap mamisekleta," said Quirimit, a bachelor.

The Intel team skippered by Warren Davadilla and also composed of Nilo Estayo, Fernando Alagano, Michael Reyes, Arthur Bucay, Rayson Galdones and Paolo Manapol won the team competition and the P1 million cash pot that went with it.

Finishing behind Intel were Postmen (P500,000), Samsung (P200,000), Tanduay Rhum (P100,000), Eco Savers (P75,000), VAT Riders (P65,000), Patrol 117 (P60,000), PagcorSports (P55,000), Bowling Gold (P50,000), Gilbey’s Island Punch (P45,000), Drug Busters (P40,000) and PLDT-NDD (P35,000).

Quirimit raised his both hands to the cheers of his supporters as he crossed the finish line in front of the Quirino Grandstand under gathering dusk with the third pack that included all his chief pursuers.

Opting to ride defensively, he checked in with a clocking of 3:33.03, 39 seconds behind lap winner Bernard Luzon. Ronald Gorrantes finished second and Alfie Catalan third.

"Para sa mga taga Pangasinan ito," said Quirimit as he gave the Pangasinan folks their first champion since Bernard Llentada, from the town of San Nicholas, staged a successful final-lap coup versus Novo Vizcayano Carlo Guieb in 1991.

A bronze medalist in the road race event in the last Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, the proud son of Pozzorubio, Pangasinan negotiated the tour in 55.29.20, beating second placer Merculio Ramos by five minutes and 20 seconds. At third place was 1998 Warren Davadilla, 18 seconds further behind.

Aside from the three, four other national riders made it to the Magic 10 with Gorrantes at fifth, Enrique Domingo at sixth, Lloyd Reynante at seventh and Catalan ninth. Rhyan Tanguilig finished fourth, Luzon seventh and Felix Celeste 10th.

Ramos earned P100,000, Davadilla P75,000, Tanguilig P50,000, Gorrantes P40,000, Domingo P30,000, Luzon P25,000, Reynante P20,000, Catalan P15,000 and Celeste P10,000.

"Lamang talaga kaming mga nasa national team dahil naka-programa ang lahat sa amin hindi kagaya ng mga taga labas. Lamang pa kami sa exposure. Yung laro namin sa Tour de Langkawi malaki ang naitulong sa amin para sa tour na ito," said the champion.

Quirimit finally nailed a Tour victory and joined a long list of cycling heroes after six tries. He finished only 15th but won the Rookie of the Year in 1994. He then placed eighth in 1995, second behind Victor Espiritu in 1996, seventh in 1997 and eighth in 1998 before the tour took a four-year sabbatical.

Counting four lap victories this year, the stocky rider has ruled a total of 17 stages.

With proper conditioning and health care, Quirimit is hopeful he can get a good shot at back-to-back championships next year — a feat achieved only by three legendary riders in the late Joe Sumalde and Jacinto Sicam and Cornelio Padilla.

"Huag lang abusuhin ang katawan at laging magpakundisyon sa ensayo, kahit 28 na baka malakas pa rin ako next year at baka makaya ang dalawang sunod," said Quirimit, who should have been a nurse now if not hooked to cycling.

"Okay na rin sigurong hindi ako naging nurse, nasa (military) service naman ako at ngayon cycling champion pa," said Quirimit, who completed the first three years of a nursing course in Pines School in Baguio and the Urdaneta Community College in his home province.

He revealed it was in Baguio where he was influenced to take the sport with a number of cousins tackling the terrains of the mountain-top city on a bike. "Na-enganyo nila akong mag-bike at noong 1996, huminto na ako sa school para mag-concentrate sa bisikleta."

Fittingly, Quirimit exploited his working knowledge of the area and fashioned out the final pieces to his grand tour victory when he conquered the killer Baguio climb Thursday.

Three days later, a good Sunday crowd lined up the roads around Manila’s Walled City to witness what had just become his victory ride in the closing day of the Tour revival.