Padyak Pinoy back on road

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top cyclists get to test their limits once more in the Padyak Pinoy Tour of Champions, which makes its return from May 8 to 15.

Fifteen teams composed of five cyclists each will vie in the eight-stage Tour, last held in 2007, that will approximately cover 1,150-kms of flat lands, hairpin curves and excruciating mountain climbs.

The Tour starts at Taguig and will take the bidders to the provinces of Pampanga, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Benguet and culminate with the eight-loop Baguio-to-Baguio killer lap.

“The cyclists want more races and our role is to enliven the sport,” said Gary Cayton president of the organizing Dos-1 during the PSA Forum yesterday at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch in Manila.

A total prize of P2.2 million is up for grabs with the team champion getting P500,000 and the individual winner receiving P50,000. The King of the Mountain and Rookie of the Year will also receive P20,000 each.

Former Tour champions Santy Barnachea and Arnel Querimit, internationalist Sherwin Carrera and Merculio Ramos are among the big names skippering the teams.

Barnachea, the 2002 Tour of Calabarzon champion and 2006 Padyak Pinoy winner, will captain the Air21 squad, while Querimit, who ruled the 2003 Tour ng Pilipinas, will banner Columbia Sports.

“I’ve been preparing for the past month and I expect to do well in the Tour,” said Barnachea, who was joined in the forum by Querimit and A Freight rider Emilito Atilano.

Also present at the forum supported by Pagcor, Outlast Battery and Accel were Paquito Rivas of the Philippine National Cycling Association and Smart Sports’ Art Aro, who said that the telecommunications firm is envisioning the Tour as Asia’s version of the prestigious Tour de France.

Ramos will lead the Wow Magic Sing team, while Carrera, fresh from stints in two international races, will spearhead one of the two Tanduay teams along with Rener Clauna.

Also skippering their respective teams are Sherwin Diamsa (Burger King), Oscar Rindole (Ube), Ericson Obosa (A Freight), Baler Ravina (Navray), Warren Davadilla (Mail and More), Lucien Reynante (IWMI), Frederick Feliciano (Cargohaus), Hilson Mangahis (Tanduay 2), Joel Calderon (Smart).