Cycling legends retire; new tour offers P2.7M

Carlo Guieb and Renato Dolosa, who formed one of the greatest and most dramatic rivalries in Tour history, have finally decided to call it a day.

However, the two riders who won four titles among themselves in the early ’90s, will still be around when the Tour celebrates its 50th year on May 26 -June 5.

Guieb, of Nueva Viscaya, and Dolosa, of Bicol, have agreed to serve as coaches in this year’s Tour aptly called "Golden Tour 50 @ ’05."

There are nine teams with eight riders each for this year’s Tour offering a total of P2.7 million in prizes and covering a total of 1,492 kms. The bikefest was formally launched during a press conference yesterday.

The riders will carry the colors of Go 21, Touch Mobile, Tanduay Rhum, Colt 45, PLDT, Vat Riders and Customs. The two other teams will be named next week.

The Tour will be co-organized by Dynamic Outsource Solutions, Inc. (DOS-I) under Reuben Pangan and T&G Tourism Development Corp. under Patrick Gregorio. Major sponsors are Sunbolt Energy Drink, Summit Mineral Water, Osaka Iridology, Fil-Am Life Insurance Co. and Nestle Power Bar.

Other cycling stars who will act as coaches this year are Gerry Igos, Rolando Pagnanawon, Armando Catalan, Romeo Bonzo, Hector Padilla, Cesar Lobramonte and Ceferino Bacunawa.

Though smaller in size and shorter in distance, the Tour still promises to be an exciting one that will bring the riders to Marikina, Lucena, Tagaytay, Batangas, Bulacan, Olongapo, Pangasinan, Vigan, Baguio, Pampanga and back to Manila for the 10th and final stage.

Last year’s Tour, won by Rhyan Tanguilig, covered 18 stages in 21 days. Tanguilig won’t be around to defend his title.

The winning team will get P700,000, runner-up P400,000, third P280,000, fourth P200,000, fifth P160,000, sixth P130,000, seventh P110,000, eighth P100,000 and ninth P90,000.

The individual champion will take home P100,000, runner-up P70,000 and third P50,000. Each stage win is worth P10,000 with special prizes such as King of the Mountain, Sprint King and Rookie of the Year worth P30,000 each.

Leading the pack and designated as team captains are 2003 Tour champion Arnel Quirimit, 1998 winner Warren Davadilla, Enrique Domingo, Santy Barnachea, Lito Atilano, Frederick Feliciano, Baler Ravina, Eusebio Quinones and Reynaldo Navarro.

The drafting will be held tomorrow at the Amoranto Velodrome to determine the composition of each team.