100 best to vie in Isabela tour

Sixty local riders were added to the competing roster for the three-day Tour of Isabela to reel off May 7 in connection with the province’s founding day festivities, increasing total participation to 100 cyclists.

Silvestre Bello II, former Secretary of Justice from Ilagan and the director general of the Isabela Day Organizing Committee, said the coming Tour will be in two categories, one for elite racers and the other for mountain bikers.

Overall chairman of the celebration is Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., with Gamu mayoralty aspirant Fernando (Ando) Cumigad as co-chairman of the organizing committee.

As take will be cash prizes of P10,000 down to survivor’s prize of P1,000 for the "elite group" expected to number 60 out of the 100 participants. Prizes topped by a 5,000 award would be at stake in the second category.

"Pa-karera ng Isabela ito, kaya nararapat lang na ang gustong sumali na mga mountain bikers na taga Isabela ay makasali," Bello said.

PACA secretary general Armando Bautista left Sunday for Isabela to check that the three laps are properly marked out, to avoid any route mixup. The entourage from Manila headed by Philippine Amateur Cycling Association (PACA) top officials Ponciano Regalado, president, and V. Magaway left Monday afternoon from the Amoranto Sports Complex on Roces Avenue in Quezon City for the ride to San Pablo, Isabela, starting point of the Tour.

Competing cyclists will survey the routes after breakfast Tuesday.