Cebuanos to invade Aboitiz Tour of Subic

CEBU, Philippines - More than 280 cyclists all over the country will converge in Subic Bay starting today to chase podium positions in the tough Aboitiz Power Tour of Subic, a 3-stage, 150-kilometer road cycling race around the sprawling grounds of Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales.

Presented by Aboitiz Power of the Cebu-based Aboitiz & Co. in association with Unilab, Crystal Clear and Garmin, the cyclists will tackle the "Race of Truth" 20km Individual Time Trial (ITT), the fast and furious 40km criterium and the lung-busting, energy-sapping 90km road race.

Thirteen-year-old Cebuana Ana Patricia "Icamax" Maximo of Sacred Heart School-Hijas de Cebu, the youngest female racer in the recently-concluded Tour of Clark, will once again try her luck as she competes in the ITT.

Since no junior division will be contested, Icamax will be up against the more experienced and older cyclists in the women's open category of the event organized by Raul Cuevas of Bike King and supported by Orbea, Corima and Pocari Sweat.

Acting as her coach will be 18-year-old Luis Miguel "Igimax" Maximo of Ateneo de Manila University. The two-time Sportwriters Association of Cebu (SAC) awardee will also be competing in the criterium and ITT events under the men's open category 4.

Both young Cebuano racers will be using the Ridley-Campagnolo-Token racing rig designed by Bike Guru of Cebu-based YKK Trading.

The other Cebuano athletes in the field are Jong Sepulveda, Litoy Petalcorin, Ome Rodriguez, Joshua Sepulveda, Amon Espinosa, Ronnie and Adrian Adlawan. (FREEMAN)