Pinoy biker storms to lead in Le Tour kickoff stage

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines  – Oscar Rendole took a moment sitting under the shade and enjoying a splashing of water on the side road of Enrile Blvd after crossing the finish line ahead of everybody else at the start of the 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas presented by Air21.

The Mail and More rider let the thought of making history as the first Filipino rider to ever win a lap in a UCI-sanctioned race sink in, took a deep breath, finally stood up and raised his arms in triumph, ready to face greeters and the media.

“Hanggang fourth runner-up lang ang pinakamataas na narating ko previously sa international races noong 2010 Le Tour kaya malaking karangalan ito (This is a major achievement for me. My previous biggest achievement in a UCI race was fourth place in the local division of Le Tour in 2010),” said Rendole.

He covered the mostly flat 155.75 km Stage One from the northern coastal town of Sta. Ana, Cagayan to the New Tuguegarao City Hall in Barangay Carig Sur here in 3:44:40.

The 26-year-old cyclist-farmer from Guimba, Nueva Ecija joined 23 others in the pack that seized the pace at the 91st kilometer mark in Gattaran town. He maintained his presence in the lead group as a six-man bunch entered the last three kilometers then cramps and all, pushed it hard in the final 500 meters to nose out his rivals. 

Rendole checked in just two seconds ahead of runner-up Koos Jeroen of Dutch Global (3:44:42), who towed third placer Timo Scholz of CCN to the finish line along with Filipino Rudy Roque of American Vinyl-LPGMA, and James Williamson of Bikenz-Pureblack. The five were given identical clockings.

“Nahirapan din kasi nagka-cramps ako sa last three kilometers (It was tough especially considering I got cramps in the last three kilometers),” he said.

The opener of the 2012 Le Tour held in partnership with Smart and supported by Foton and Jinbei was, to say the least, “bountiful” for the riding Novo Ecijano rice farmer.

Aside from achieving a milestone for Phl cycling and copping only the second lap victory of his career following a stage triumph in the 2009 Padyak Pinoy, the dusky lad also took the lead with 10 points over Kers (7) and Scholz (5) in the sprint side event. 

Rendole expects to have his hands full when he dons the yellow and green jerseys for today’s Stage Two of the four-stage bikathon – a 103.3 km ride to Cauayan City in Isabela. 

“Depensa na lang ako bukas kasi yung 10 na nag-break-away, magkakalapit lang ang oras (I’ll try to protect my lead especially considering the proximity in the submitted times of the 10 riders in the breakaway lead group),” said Rendole.

“Bale sa Bayombong to Baguio magkakatalo ‘yan (The race will be decided by the Bayombong-Baguio stage),” he added, referring to the fourth and last stage of the cycling extravaganza, a back-breaking 132.7 km uphill grind over the Cordilleras.

Rendole is also wary of the foreign bets in the next three days of action, given what looks like an alliance against local rivals. 

“Kayang-kaya rin nila ang init at malalakas. At kapag nakakawala ang Filipino, nagtutulong ang mga foreigners (The foreigners are strong and can adapt to the heat. And if they see a Filipino break away, they band together),” Rendole noted.

Rendole, together with Alfredo Asuncion and Joel Calderon, catapulted Mail and More to the summit of the team general classification contest with 11:21:03, two seconds clear of Dutch Global (11:21:05) and 13 ticks ahead of American Vinyl-LPGMA (11:21.16).

Mail and More also enjoyed top view in the team general classification stage for Phl teams, leading American Vinyl-LPGMA and GO21 (11:21:33).

The Le Tour 2012 is also supported by official wear Wet Shop, Maynilad, Nague Malic Magnawa & Associates Customs Brokers, Wow Videoke, UBEMedia, IWMI, Airphil Express and dzRH.

Notes: The 77 participants had one less tough rival to worry about after vaunted Tabriz Petrochemical of Iran backed out at the last minute, citing injuries to majority of their bets. Malaysian UCI Continental team Terengganu came in as the 2012 Le Tour’s 16th team.