Make or break in Baguio leg

VIGAN — The perilous mountains of Benguet, where Tour champions are made or unmade, finally beckon.

A battle royale among the three pacesetting riders is in the offing in the climb to Baguio in the next two days — one of them would emerge as Arnel Quirimit’s successor as the Air21 Tour Pilipinas 2004 goes down to the flatlands of Central Luzon and Manila in the last two stages of the 17-day summer event this weekend.

The Team Time Trial race from Laoag to historic Vigan did affect changes in the leaderboard yesterday, but the consensus among the riders and Tour experts is that the fight for the individual championship will be decided in Baguio.

In the first Baguio ascent today via Marcos Highway, three leading riders, all determined to win the championship with a cash reward of P200,000, are separated by no more than 14 seconds.

Rhyan Tanguilig is now only enjoying a 13-second edge over Albert Primero as his PLDT squad finished eighth in the TTT, four minutes and 14 seconds behind Primero and his triumphant Dole team. Primero could have wrested the lead but for a one-minute penalty he incurred for sharing drinking water to a rival rider in the 11th stage.

Only one second behind Primero going to Baguio is erstwhile five-day overall leader Enrique Domingo, a Star carrier whose Postmen team placed second in the lone TTT in this Tour sponsored by Red Bull as the official energy drink, Isuzu, Summit, Pharex, Gatorade, Lactovitale and Elixir Bikeshop.

"The Tour has come to a point that excitement has turned too feverish, thus, the last four stages will be crucial," said Bert Lina, Tour chairman and top honcho of Air21. "And that’s not to mention the fact that the Tour is living up to expectations because two little known riders are in the thick of the fight."

The little-known riders Lina referred to are Beer na Beer’s Joel Calderon and Tomas Martinez who are running fourth and fifth, 2:06 and 7:58 off the pace.

There are also known mountain-climbing experts in Joseph Millanes, Ronald Gorantes, Eusebio Quinones and Eric Feliciano who are not far behind the leaders. "Ang tagal kong nagsakripisyo para dito. Nandiyan na ang pagkakataon na maabot ko ang pangarap ko kaya gagawin ko na ang lahat," said Tanguilig.

"Maraming malakas umahon kaya baka sa kundisyunan magkatalo. Magka-carbo loading ako para sa karera sa Baguio," he added.

Primero, now a four-stage winner in this Tour, considered Tanguilig his toughest rival, saying the Novo Vizcayano beat him by two minutes in the Baguio climb last year.

"Si Rhyan ang pinakamabigat na kalaban. Kaya susubukan kong sumabay sa grupo sa patag, tapos buhos pagdating sa ahon," said Primero.

Domingo, who has lost at least two Tour title bids in the mountains of Benguet, said he’s more comfortable now that he’s on the trail of the leader as they climb Baguio.

"Hindi ko nakuha noong ako ang nasa unahan, baka makuha ko ngayon na ako ang naghahabol," said Domingo. Tanguilig, Primero, Domingo and the rest of the 79 remaining riders will have a showdown in Baguio for two days as Stage 15 offers the local tour’s signature Baguio-to-Baguio leg. It’s spread over 199.7 kilometers with the riders first going down to Marcos Highway, going up on Naguilian, again descending to Marcos before climbing again via Kennon Road.

The penultimate stage will have the riders descending to Tarlac City on Saturday. On Sunday, it’s the final stage which could only be a victory ride for the champion in a 91km criterium race on Roxas Blvd. in Manila.

In the team competition, Postmen coach Ricarlito Balmes felt they have the crown in the bag after keeping a lead of over 13 minutes over closest rival Beer na Beer after the TTT race.

But Dole mentor Arsenio Tado thought otherwise.

"It’s still anybody’s race. Malaki ang laban namin dahil lahat ng siklista namin bata at malakas umahon," said Tado of his squad, running third 24 minutes and 52 seconds behind the Postmen.

Primero and teammates Fernando Alagano, Michael Primero, Jay Tolentino, Orlie Villanueva, Michael Ramos and Dante Cagas compose the youngest team in the Tour with an average age of 23.

Losing precious minutes in the TTT, Tanguilig rued: "Kasi tatlo lang kami sa team, kalaban namin pito."

Only Benito Lopez and Michael Reyes were able to ride with Tanguilig throughout with Ryan Mendoza, Johnny Dasalla and Roberto Pagala left behind along the way. Cagas was the first to check in for the winning squad, followed by Primero, Orly Villanueva and Ramos. The time of the third rider counted for the team.