Tanduay pours all-out support for Quirimit

Tanduay returns with a more committed team in the Air21 Tour Pilipinas 2004 and has poured an even stronger support to Arnel Quirimit’s bid to become only the fifth cyclist to win the crown on consecutive years.

And to stress on its growing involvement in sports development, the Lucio Tan group is sponsoring not one, but two of the 12 teams that will race for 17 stages to catch the P1 million top team prize.

With Quirimit at the Tanduay camp, comebacking Victor Espiritu, considered one of the finest national riders who topped the Tour in 1996, was hooked by Beer Na Beer, a rookie team sponsor in the Tour’s revival era.

Larry Li, Tanduay’s advertising manager, said sticking with Quirimit typifies many of the team’s goals in the Tour which, this year, has as supporters Isuzu Phils. Corp., Pharex Multivitamins, Gatorade, Red Bull, Lactovitale and Summit.

Besides Tanduay and Beer Na Beer, the other teams are Samsung, Dole, Mail and More, Metro Drug, PLDT-NDD, Marsman-Drysdale, Purefoods, BIR Vat Riders, DILG Patrol 117 and DOTC Postmen.

For 21 days beginning Monday, the cyclists will embark on a spirited race for fame and fortune. They will start off in Sorsogon, Sorsogon, and pedal northward and will make stops in 16 other key cities. They will traverse through 24 provinces in Luzon, covering a total distance of 2,758.69 kms.

Bert Lina said in Monday‚s launch and press conference at the Air21 Makati offices that slowly but surely, the Tour has started to achieve its goals, not only in providing the biggest bicycle race in the country‚s sports history, but also a vehicle for private companies to fulfill their sports commitment.

Quirimit admitted Lina, through the Tour, has kicked cycling back to life and that he was not alone in reaping the benefits, not only in terms of sporting conquest, but also on the economics that the Tour brings with it.

With Quirimit on the Tanduay roster are assistant skipper Reynaldo Navarro, Wilfredo Calosa, Marcial Robosa, Saul Severino, rookie Julie Panong and the ageless Bernard Llentada, the 1991 champion. Florante Solomon will coach the team.

The Tour will have stops in Naga City, Daet, Lucena, Tagaytay, Quezon City, Olongapo, Dagupan, Cabanatuan, Solano, Tuguegarao, Aparri, Laoag, Vigan, Baguio City and Tarlac City.