Tour riders tune up for tough grind ahead

LINGAYEN — After another stage through flatlands at the resumption of the action today, the intrepid riders will have their moment of truth in the Benguet mountains in the Golden Tour 50 @05.

Like past tours, this one could well boil down to a mountain-climbing battle in Baguio as all the major title contenders expect to come up with another a wait-and-see tack in the ride to Vigan from this seaside Pangasinan town this morning.

Keen tour watchers hardly expect major changes in the makeup of the Top 10 after today’s stage, saying the riders are likely to save their energy and power for the Baguio climbs tomorrow and Friday.

But halfway through the 10-stage, 11-day cycling odyssey, many believe the battle for honors is down to five riders - yellow jersey holder Warren Davadilla, reigning titlist Rhyan Tanguilig, 2003 champion Arnel Quirimit, fourth stage winner Lito Atilano and stage five victor Eric Feliciano.

But eventually it will be a mano-a-mano between Davadilla and Tanguilig.

"It would be decided in Baguio. The one who emerges overall leader after the Vigan-Baguio stage has 80 percent chance of winning the title," said race director Paquito Rivas in Filipino.

"If Davadilla keeps the lead from Vigan, the title is his because he’ll surely get the needed support in the last three stages. But I believe Tanguilig has joined the tour armed to the teeth so he won’t go down without a good fight," Rivas added.

Former two-time champion Renato Dolosa, the Guerrero Brandy coach in this tour, also pointed to Davadilla and Tanguilig as the top favorites with only about 700 kilometers left in the tour presented by Tanduay.

"I’ve seen how Warren prepared for this tour. He prepared well and has something more to give ," said Dolosa, now also a member of the RP team coaching staff.

"Rhyan is a tough rider but he has competed in a lot of events (with Pagcor trade team) and may suffer a burnout when they reach Baguio," Dolosa added.

As the 206km. Lingayen-Vigan stage is fired off at eight this morning, five-day overall leader Davadilla enjoys a lead of two minutes and 25 seconds over Tanguilig.

But Davadilla himself admitted it’s not a safe lead.

"It’s not a good lead because we’re going up to Baguio twice and anything can happen," said Davadilla, who opted not to take a rest during yesterday’s break, towing his Colt 45 team to a two-hour-and-a-half ride in and out of Alaminos.

Three assistant skippers in Reynaldo Navarro of Custom, Fernando Alagano of Metro Drug and Alvin Benosa of Touch Mobile are running three to fifth, followed by Feliciano, Quirimit, Santi Barnachea, Benito Lopez Jr. and Atilano. No one is down by over six minutes behind the pacesetter.

"Sa akin lahat noong nasa top 10 title contenders pa iyan. Dahil hindi sila malayo sa overall leader," said Metro Drug coach Ceferino Bacunawa.

Bacunawa and his Metro Drug riders lead the fight for the team championship with Colt 45 four minutes and 51 seconds behind and Guerrero Brandy at third, 5:30 off the pace.