MANILA, Philippines - Rahim Emami, a fast-rising Iranian rider who contended for the King of the Mountain award in the recent Tour de Langkawi, showed another facet of his riding skills in ruling the initial stage – criterium – of the Le Tour de Filipinas 2011 on Roxas Boulevard yesterday.
The 29-year-old Azadi University standout topped the tough field in the 67.2-kilometer criterium race, emerging as among the bright prospects to rule the four-stage UCI-sanctioned summer race.
Emami fashioned out a solo finish to cheers from a sizeable weekend crowd at the Rajah Sulaiman Park in front of the Malate Church.
The Iranian rider checked in at one hour, 28 minutes, 32 seconds, five seconds ahead of the nine-man chase group led by Ericsson Obosa of 7-Eleven and another Iranian Shiri Sisan Hamid of Suren Cycling Team.
7-Eleven topped the general team classification with a clocking of 4:25:51, with Smart coming in 10 seconds behind then Roadbike Phls 15 seconds adrift.
Obosa and Hamid won the stage runner-up honors over Amir Zargari of Azadi U, Lloyd Reynante and Irish Valenzuela of 7-Eleven, Merculio Ramos Jr. of Air21 and Baler Ravina of Smart.
Of this bunch, Reynante, Ravina and Ramos could be contenders in the next three stages with stops in Iba, Zambales; Lingayen, Pangasinan; and Baguio.
Obosa, who finished second behind Chinese Lu Zangian in the Tour of Poyang Lake in Xiangzhi, China last year, lived up to his billing as a sprint specialist towing the second group that tailed Emami through the final stretch.
“I gave it all but just couldn’t catch him,” said the 30-year-old pride of Manaoag, Pangasinan.
Shopinas skipper Eusebio Quinones and Giant Kenda’s Alex Coutts also finished with the chase group in Stage One of the Le Tour sponsored by Wow Videoke, American Vinyl, Phoenix Fuel, Maynilad, Cannondale-Mavic, Roadbike Philippines, 7-Eleven, Integrated Waste Management Inc., Shopinas and SignMedia.
Defending champion David McCann, the top man of the Giant Kenda team, floated with the peleton, coming in at 48th place in 1:32.33.
McCann is expected to start making his move in today’s second stage starting in Balanga, Bataan.
“It’s going to be tougher in the next few days. We expect a close race starting tomorrow (today),” said Emami.
“The real race will start tomorrow,” said Reynante, runner-up to McCann last year.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, former PhilCycling president and Air21 chairman Alberto Lina and Le Tour organizing committee head Edgardo Cayton graced the morning rites.