Quirimit, Rhum riders top Pangasinan races

Arnel Quirimit placed a close second in Sunday’s massed start race to cement his and Tanduay’s domination of the Tour Pilipinas Pangasinan Races.

Quirimit clocked four hours, 11 minutes and 12.72 seconds, same numbers as stage winner Albert Primero of PLDT-NDD and third-placer Lito Atilano of Gilbey’s Island Punch, but with his pacesetting time in Saturday’s team time trial, emerged overall winner of the two-day event presented by Air21 at the very cradle of Philippine cycling.

Quirimit, the reigning Tour Pilipinas champion, amassed 6:00:26.36 in two days of racing over 256 kms to bring home the top individual prize of P20,000 in the races principally sponsored by FedEx and Mail and More.

Finishing in the top five in the overall individual classification were Oscar Espiritu (Tanduay) 6:01:41.82, Warren Davadilla (Intel) 6:02:14.37, Michael Reyes (Intel) 6:03:10.06 and Ericson Obosa (Tanduay) 6:03:10.25.

Rounding out the bottom half of the top 10 of the event also backed by Caltex, Lipovitan and BPI-MS were Wilfredo Calosa (Postmen) 6:03:46.85, Primero 6:03:55.10, Joseph Millanes (Tanduay) 6:04:33.64, Rene Esteban (Postmen) 6:04:33.64 and Reynaldo Navarro (Postmen) 6:04:41.70.

Tanduay clocked a total 25:58:49.48 in running away with the overall team title. Intel was second with 26:10:13.70, the DOTC Postmen third with 26:14:16.70, DILG Patrol 117 fourth with 26:17:70.27 and PLDT NDD fifth with 26:17:36.88.

Completing the overall team standings were Samsung sixth (26:18:42.30), Bowling Gold seventh (26:27:12.75), Gilbey’s Island Punch eighth (26:38:44.48), DILG Drug Busters ninth (26:39:43.47), DENR Ecosavers 10th 26:45:55.93 and PagcorSports 11th (27:02:51.76). The BIR VAT Riders rode with just three men and did not count in the team event.

The two-day Pangasinan Races covered a 78-km Alaminos-Bolinao-Alaminos TTT stage Saturday and a 178-km massed start stage from Alaminos to Mangatarem through 22 cities and municipalities of the province Sunday.

Some of the top names of the Tour Pilipinas missed the races because of their commitment with the national team that will be sent to the Vietnam Sea Games in December. Among those who are currently competing in Malaysia are Lloyd Reynante, Ryan Tanguilig, Enrique Domingo, Paulo Manapul and Merculio Ramos.

Air21 president and Tour organizer Lito Alvarez and Tour executive director Mar Mendoza were on hand in the Mangatarem finish Sunday to award the trophies and prizes to the winners. Alvarez also led in the recognition rites for 16 former Tour champions who hail from the province.