MANILA, Philippines - More than a dozen teams including powerhouse (Germany), Bordeaux (France), CTK (Switzerland), Power Move (Switzerland) and AC Sparta Pharma (Czeck Republic) have written race organizer Dynamic Outsource Solutions, Inc. (DOS-1)-Padyak Pinoy about their enthusiasm to join the Le Tour de Filipinas which hits the road April 17-20.
Medscheme/CPI of South Africa and Prime State of Australia have also sent their intentions to participate in the race consisting of a 145-km Tagaytay-Tagaytay Stage 1, 60-km Roxas Boulevard Stage 2, 135-km Quezon City-Subic Stage 3 and 140-km Subic-Subic Stage 4.
DOS-1 president and Padyak Pinoy chairman Edgardo Cayton said powerhouse teams from Iran (Vali Asr Kerman), Japan (Shimano), Chinese Taipei (Giant Asia Racing Team), Singapore (OCBC) and Hongkong (Collosi) have also shown interest to vie in the race which would feature at least 10 local teams composed of the best and the brightest in Philippine cycling.
The LTDF, presented by Tanduay with Smart and Air21 as principal backers, is part of the Asia Tour calendar of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for cycling.
The UCI had granted DOS-1/Padyak Pinoy the license to stage a four-day race, a rare opportunity given UCI-member countries. The UCI last sanctioned a Philippine race, the Marlboro Tour, 10 years ago.
“The Philippines offers an attraction in the eyes of the world cycling community. This would give the Filipino cyclists the chance to compete in an international arena in their own country, ” said Bert Lina, the former PhilCycling president.