Post time for Postmen in team race

LAOAG — Focus in the Air21 Tour Pilipinas 2004 shifts to the battle for the team event today with the Postmen looking to regain a comfortable margin over the rest of the field and hopefully boost skipper Enrique Domingo back into the individual lead in a Team Time Trial (TTT) race to Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

The Postmen have equipped their bikes with aero-dynamic wheels and handle bars and fitted themselves with aero-dynamic suits for the lone TTT stage in the 21-day, 17-stage summer cycling spectacle that could well decide the winner of the P1 million bonanza in the team competition.

"Yung sa individual event, marami pang pwedeng mangyari. Pero dito sa team championship, kapag nadagdagan pa ang lamang namin, tapos na ang laban," said Postmen coach Ricarlito Balmes.

The Postmen lost some seven minutes to closest pursuer Beer na Beer in the eventful Aparri-Laoag 12th stage Monday but they’re confident of regaining a decisive lead as the 12 teams are fired off one after the other on an interval of two minutes.

"Sigurado maganda ang pwesto namin diyan (in the TTT) at baka makakain pa sa oras si kapitan (Domingo) dahil kumpleto pa ang lineup namin. Yung mga kalaban may bawas na. Lamang ka kung pito kayong magpapalitan sa trangko kaysa sa anim lang," said Balmes.

The team features Domingo, assistant skipper Lloyd Reynante, Joseph Millanes, Gerardo Amar, Gary Apolinar, Desi Hardin and Leonardo Lingas Jr.

The last team to be flagged off here this morning after a welcome rest yesterday, the Postmen negotiate the 82.7-kilometer distance to Vigan with a lead of 13 minutes and 32.752 seconds over the Victor Espiritu-led Beer na Beer squad, now minus one rider in Virgilio Espiritu.

The Postmen tested some parts of the route yesterday.

Rhyan Tanguilig, who seized the yellow jersey from Domingo on a daring siege with alleged help from fellow RP trade team riders Monday, will also be handicapped today with his PLDT team already losing assistant skipper Sherwin Diamsay.

However, Samsung could be the team that would struggle the most following the withdrawal of skipper Merculio Ramos — the overall individual runner-up last year — because of the flu which had dogged him since the Dagupan-Olongapo stage.

Ramos, who topped the second stage and was running third after the 11th, left for home in Tarlac yesterday morning, abandoning his dream in this Tour sponsored by Red Bull as official energy drink, Isuzu, Lactovitale, Summit, Pharex, Gatorade and Elixir Bikeshop.

With the teams bracing for the TTT and the Games and Amusement Board sitting on its probe, the "conspiracy theory" among trade team riders virtually took a backseat although it’s no secret these cyclists were billeted together–away from their respective teams here–in Paoay Monday night.

Tour experts said the battle for the individual championship and the P200,000 prize that goes with it is down to those in the Magic 10, and the fight, as in the past, could well be decided in the Baguio mountains.

"Si Victor (Espiritu) may ahon, pero malayo sa standings. Si Warren (Davadilla) mas malapit, pero wala naman pang ahon," said VAT Riders coach Cesar Lobramonte, who is head coach of the RP trade team outside the Tour.

On the side battle among trade team and RP squad riders, Lobramonte said this could pave the way for an upset win among unknown bets in the top, including the fourth-running sophomore Joel Calderon and rookies Tomas Martinez (sixth) and Baler Ravina (seventh).

"Bantayan sila ng bantayan, baka masilat sila noong mga hindi nila pinapansin," said Lobramonte.

Outside of these three obscure riders, the rest in the Magic 10 are either a trade teammate or a national rider.

The pacesetting Tanguilig said it’s rare that a rider is given a chance to wear a yellow jersey that he might as well do everything to defend it till the finish Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

"Bihirang-bihira ang siklistang nabibigyan ng ganitong pagkakataon kaya gagawin ko ang lahat para hindi palagpasin ito," said the 25-year-old Novo Vizacayano.

Lobramonte said he would consider Tanguilig "65 percent sure winner" of the Tour if he remains the leader after today’s race. "May ahon din kasi si Rhyan," he said.

On allegation that he would get all the help from his trade teammates to win the Tour, the soft-spoken Tanguilig said : "Hindi totoo yon, wala yon."

Lobramonte likewise denied allegations that he’s favoring his trade riders over his cyclists in his team here.

"Matagal na rin naman kayo sa tour. Alam nyo na kapag may nalalaglag o naiiwan na diyan. Kung ano-ano na ang alibi," said Lobramonte.

"Yun tungkol sa pinapaboran ko yung trade team, hindi rin totoo yon. Kinausap ko yong kapitan ng team ko na si Felix (Celeste). Kung may alegasyon siya laban sa akin, sabi ko bigyan nya ako ng pruweba," Lobramonte added.