RP rider churns in best time in Tour qualifier

A national rider drew the spotlight in Sunday’s first prequalifying race for the Tour Pilipinas 2003, topping an initial batch of 154 aspirants who raced under a drizzle over the well-paved roads of Pililla, Rizal.

Lito Atilano, who raced under the Bicol squad, booked 56 minutes and 52.21 seconds in the 40-km individual time trial (ITT) race, a performance that was the day’s best but one that remained in the balance until after all three 40-km ITT prequalifying races for the Tour Pilipinas 2003 Air21 is presenting next summer are completed in the next two weekends.

The second prequalifying race is set on Sunday also in Pililla, Rizal, and the third in Argao, Cebu, will be staged on Nove. 23, and no longer on Nov. 24. Interested riders in the south may contact Joe Deresas, executive director of race manager Professional Cycling Association of the Philippines, at landline 032-414-4151 or mobile phone number 0917-4363432.

Manuel Mendoza, who also registered for Bicol, was second best with 57:11.00, followed by Tour veteran and Novo Ecijano Bernard Luzon with 57:20.00, another Bicol aspirant David Perez 57:34.00 and Ryan Mendoza of Metro Manila 57:48.00.

Rounding out the top 10 were Marcial Robosa (Metro Manila) 57:59.67, FedEx Calabarzon 2002 third placer Alberto Primero (Nueva Ecija) 57:59.75, Virgilio Espiritu (Metro Manila) 58:58.22, Art de la Cruz (Metro Manila) 58:58.52 and Michael Gonowon (Bicol) 59:05.19.

Except for Atilano, national riders who registered and were supposed to race Sunday showed up at the race site but opted not to participate for fear of losing their slots in the national squad.

The national cyclists could only express eagerness to join the qualifiers of the Tour Pilipinas 2003 because they are caught in the middle of an ugly leadership crisis in the national sports association (NSA) for cycling.

The leadership intramurals have forced the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for the sport, not to recognize either the Philippine Amateur Cycling Association or the Philippine Cycling Federation. The UCI will only recognize the NSA the Philippine Olympic Committee, after a process of arbitration, recommends.

The top 120 riders that will be culled out of the three 40-km ITT prequalifying races will advance to the 192.5-km massed start race from Antipolo to Baras (via Real, Quezon) on December 7. The top 100 riders in the massed start race will then vie in the 40-km ITT also in Pililla, the final phase of the qualifyings, to determine the 84 cyclists who will make up the 12 teams to the Tour Pilipinas 2003 proper.

Tour greats such as former back-to-back champion Carlo Guieb and two-time titlist Renato Dolosa are joining Sunday‚s second prequalifying race in Pililla.