San Fernando hosts Criterium GP

The 2008 Tanduay Criterium National Grand Prix moves to another countryside cycling hotbed with the staging of its eighth leg, the Mayor Oscar Rodriguez Cup, in the bustling city of San Fernando, Pampanga tomorrow.

Mayor Rodriguez has set the circuit races presented by Hitachi and Tanduay with the city’s celebration of the “Tugak (Frog) Festival” and hopes that cyclists and fans from throughout Central Luzon will come and share in the festivities.

“Those riders and cycling aficionados coming on Sunday can look forward to a fiesta-like atmosphere as we welcome back the criterium competitions in the city of San Fernando,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has mapped out a unique 3-kilometer V-shaped route that will pass in front of the San Fernando Elementary School and through a portion of the MacArthur Highway

He has also set up street barriers so that the weekend crowd can safely watch the races jointly organized by the city government and Pro Ads Marketing Concepts, Inc. and also supported by Fuji Xerox Printers, Rudy Project, D-Loads, Hi-Life Spa and EDSA 999 Properties.

Organizers are also eyeing to use the one-day bikefest in promoting the “Siklista ng Bayan” tour of Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte in his drive to have bicycle lanes in every town and city nationwide. 

Project events director Ric Rodriguez said that the challenging route is the first of its kind in the local circuit races, which is held in coordination with city administrator Ferdinand Caylao and community affairs chief Donnie Zayre.