Back 2 back 2 Baguio

Each sport has its iconic places. Mention the name of the place and in an instant, you make the connection. Wimbledon, Augusta, Madison Square Garden or Imola and you can easily connect the dots. In professional cycling, the place to be is the Alped’Huez and in this beautiful land of ours, it is Baguio.

Baguio is the legend maker. Paquito Rivas, Jesus Garcia, Carlo Guieb, MawiReynante, Joe Sumalde and our very own Boy Pagnanawon, etched their names in cycling lore by taming Baguio. And what better way to experience these hallowed grounds than to retrace the footsteps of these giants?

Climbing Baguio in a race was in my bucket list. And climbing Baguio in a race, back to back at that, was a no brainer. I had to do it. The VueltaDagupanoffered that rareopportunity.

Stage 1 was an 80km slog, starting in Dagupan, before proceeding to the Rosario Junction in La Union, then Pugo, the start of the 28km ascent of the Aspiras Highway (aka Marcos Highway) to the Baguio.The Marcos Highway seemed like a climb that wouldn’t end. It has an average 10% grade and in some areas, 18%. This pass is fairly new therefore the roads are wider and the cement newer.

Stage 2, from Agoo, La Union to Baguio via the Kennon Road on the other hand, is shorter by about 10km. the climb isn’t as steep but the roads are narrower and rougher. Dr. Butch Ydia, our host in Dagupan, said that Kennon an engineering mistake. The sheer cliffs make falling rocks a constant danger even in fine weather. However, Kennon is relatively easier than the Marcos Highway.

How does the two climbs compare against the Transcentral Highway? I’d say that the Marcos Highway is the hardest of the three followed by the TCH and Kennon.The TCH is so steep that your body will tell you to stop before you get really wasted. When my body tells me to stop, I’ll stop, otherwise I’d fall off the bike. But because the Marcos highway is not that steep compared to the TCH, it tricks on the body, to go another kilometer. And it goes on kilometer after kilometer. At the same time you think of quitting, the mind is also telling you that the finish line is nearing. The mind can be cruel sometimes even to your self.

I have always said that I die a little every time I go over the TCH. But with both Baguio climbs, they kill. But since it’s a legendary climb, it’s a beautiful death. How did I fare in these two climbs? I did Marcos Highway in just over 3 hours and Kennon over two hours. To paraphrase a quote from the ex-pro, Belgian Theo de Rooy, the Marcos Highway is a beast of a climb. I can’t wait to do it again.

Finally, it was my first time in Northern Luzon and I met lots of friends who I’d like to thank like Dr. Butch, Alex Borras, Louie Gutierez, Boy Tiples, DondieAzarcon, Chris Lobato and the Baterna brother’s, Quinn and Jojo, to name a few. Thanks guys, for the warm welcome! Special thanks, of course, to my CebuCycling teammate, Jong Sepulveda, his gorgeous wife, the HR of Shangrila, Makati, Shiela and their son Joshua for being such generous host in Manila…I knew only last weekend that the same people who made Kennon are the same people who designed Manipis… by this time, we’d know who won the 2012 Tour of Flanders. I’d put my bets on three guys: Swiss Fabian Cancellara, Belgium’s Tom Boonen and Czheck Peter Sagan…the 2012 Paris-Roubaix will be next week, Easter Sunday…If you want to see “live” video streaming on-line of most cycling events, go to this address: www.steephill.tv. - THE FREEMAN