Team up for the Suarez Cup!

While the last two editions of the "Suarez Cup" were held in September, race organizer Roy Zapata has decided to move it at the end of the summer to avoid potential weather problems with the end of the year schedule. With the heat not showing any let up this summer, dangerous and slick conditions should be the last thing in the minds of the participants.

Held in the island of Leyte, with the sleepy little town of Hilongos as the hub, the Suarez Cup have been formatted for individual honors (2004 Sankx Ontanillas, 2005 Neil Duhaylungsod for CAT B and Gingging Villaver for CAT A) in the past two years. However, this year's race will give more attention to the team concept which is obviously missing in the sport today.

Most sport fans still think that cycling is an individual sport when it is not. You can't win without strong teammates and Lance Armstrong knew all along that without his domestiques, he could have only one or two instead of seven Tours. It's true that some of the "winningest" local cyclists like Gingging Villaver, Nilo Barbalose, Antonio Nebria and Juvani Delica are also the strongest. But to say that they are winners because of individual abilities is pushing it too far.

The reason for their wins is that the upper crust of local cycling have banded covertly to form a korpo, or a cooperation between the (the strong) riders to win a race over the weaker and individual riders. Now, even if, one-on-one you are the strongest rider around, you can never ride and never win against the korpo. You can't simply take away their numeral superiority and that then will do you in. Of course, the korpo won't invite you to their clique if you're not good enough, and you'll end up on the outside, looking in.

The problem with the korpo is that the race becomes a farce and it cheats the sponsors and the fans. It also sends a wrong message to up and coming riders that you can't win without a korpo. New riders will find it hard to win and to make maters worse, they'll beg the organizers to slot down to a lower category. Who'll ask you to join the band when you're not that strong yet? You'd become a liability!

So why not put korpo in the proper perspective? Why not delineate rules that will avoid the korpo mentality and change direction to a team set up? Why not indeed? The team is the fair and just concept of a korpo and that should be the case. That's why starting this month, the RECYCLE Road Cyclist of the Month/Year will now include a team competition. At least Cat B 5 teams have shown interest. The Lapulapu Cycling team (RUT), headed by Richard Patalinghug, DREAM TEAM headed by tour veteran Ricky Ermitanio, Dondon Romales, Stephen Chian of SPARK KLEEN, Rameses Urgel of team KALIT, Noel Ting of team SC and Dexter Lapuz, have shown interest to join the race.

A team concept in cycling is the way to go. Of course, there will be lots resistance to this new idea, but I think it worth it. I think it's time to move forward with our sport especially at a time that the city government has shown willingness to help.

SUAREZ CUP. The 3rd Suarez Cup will be the next showcase of the new concept. PAGCOR, the RP team, executive teams in Manila, Leyte and Mindanao are also expected to join. I also expect Cebu's powerhouse team PHRYCE PHARMA to join.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following Road Cyclist of the Month for 2006: January- Ciano Dignos, February- Dexter Lapuz, March- Haylin Bardaje, April- Ricky Ermitanio... Top 5 for 4.29.06 RCM-1. Ricky Ermitanio, 2. Xerox Lauron, 3. Richard Patalinghug, 4. Orlan Toring, 5. Michael Pantonial. . . Victor Village crit 4.30.06: 1. Randy Carbobnera 2. Adonis Bohol 3. John Ray Jaca.