By the end of the eighth stage of the Golden Tour 50 @ 05, everybody’s one in saying the pint-sized national rider from Valenzuela has joined the ranks of all-time Tour giants.
Davadilla, the 1998 Centennial Tour champ, himself felt he’s put a lock on a second tour title after putting in enough effort to keep his firm hold of the yellow jersey after the stage considered by many as the end of the 10-stage, 11-day cycling saga.
"Medyo," was Davadilla’s short reply when asked if the fight for the championship is all over.
A landslide in Kennon Road because of heavy downpour Thursday forced the re-routing of the stage, requiring the riders to trek an addition of 35 kilometers from the original 195km distance.
It turned out it only prolonged the agony of Davadilla’s pursuers.
Defending champion Rhyan Tanguilig waged a searing attack in the final 20 kilometers of two ascents on Naguillian road and consoled himself with a repeat of his killer stage win last year.
Frederick Feliciano followed Tanguilig’s trail and rewarded himself with a jump to second from third behind Davadilla.
Both Tanguilig and Feliciano have conceded the title to Davadilla, saying today’s descent to Angeles City and the criterium race in Luneta could be considered mere victory rides for the eventual champion.
After Baguio, Davadilla, who is to join Antonio Arzala, Jose Sumalde, Cornelio Padilla Jr., Maui Reynante, Jacinto Sicam, Carlo Guieb and Renato Dolosa as the only riders to win two tour titles, also copped the King of the Mountain title worth P30,000.
"Ako talagang wala na kahit bago magsimula ang stage na ito. Pinilit ko lang na makuha uli ang stage honors dito," said Tanguilig, reprising his last year’s solo finish here at six hours, 16 minutes and 34 seconds.
"Kay Warren na iyan, dahil puro patag na ang last two stages," Tanguilig added.
"Sinubukan kung makuha, pero late na ang atake ko. Dito na natapos ang laban namin kay Warren," said Feliciano, just eating a minute and a half on Davadilla in his go-for-broke bid to grab the overall individual lead.
Incidentally, in a go-for-broke bid, Feliciano rode with a cellular phone on his back pocket. "Para mas magkaintindihan kami nang husto, pinatakbo ko ng may cell," said coach Cesar Lobramonte.
After the two Baguio stages, Davadilla preserved a safe lead of one minute and nine seconds over his closest pursuer — Feliciano. At third is Tanguilig (3’42 behind) followed by Lito Atilano (6’35), Johnny Dasalla (9’56), Sherwin Diamsay (11’38), Danny Ganigan (14’20), Arnel Quirimit (14’44), Alvin Benosa (19’37) and Reynaldo Navarro (20’13).
Actually, Davadilla even padded his overnight lead over his chief rivals after the first climb on Naguillian as the Colt 45 skipper flashed strong with Dasalla and Ganigan, behind solo breakaway rider Baler Ravina.
"Muntik uli akong maubos kagaya kahapon dahil ang tagal kong nakakuha ng tubig at pagkain. Buti na lang nakakuha uli ako ng second wind," said Davadilla, left huffing and puffing as Tanguilig and Feliciano waged their last hurrah in the second climb on Naguillian.
Davadilla finished fourth in the race, 3’27 behind Tanguilig and 1’20 behind Feliciano.
He thought he could have an easier task if the original route was not changed. "Mas kabisado ko ang Kennon," he said.
Suffering a big downfall was 2003 champion Arnel Quirimit, who got stuck in the main peleton, finishing 15’50 off the pace. Quirimit fell from second to eighth.
TOUR NOTES: The concluding stage, a 90km, 16-lap run on a 5.6km circuit covering the Luneta, Quirino Grandstand, Roxas Boulevard and the Raja Sulayman Park start-finish area, will again be named the MVP Circuit in honor of sportsman-businessman Manny V. Pangilinan... As in two previous tour campaigns, the Benguet mountains became the graveyard of Loreto Mandi’s tour dream. He checked in at the finish riding the SAG Wagon. Going into the last two stages, the PLDT team is down to seven riders as No. 8 man Joy Agustin, a rookie, was the first to quit during the seventh stage. "Ang laking kawalan ni Agustin kay Rhyan (Tanguilig) dahil siya ang taga-igib ng tubig ni Rhyan," said Sports Radio reporter Snow Badua who is always close the main pack in the tour entourage...Going into the final stage in the battle for the team championship, the Davadilla-powered Colt 45 squad is also on top with a lead of 34 minutes and 25 seconds behind the second-running Tourism. At third is Metro Drug, 37’33 behind. Guerrero Brandy’s Renato Sembrano is the virtual Rookie of the Year awardee…The top riders also own the most expensive bikes in this tour. Atilano’s titanium Colnago is worth P300,000, Davadilla’s carbon-fiber CSK is also about P300,000 Quirimit’s carbon-fiber Look is P200,000 and Tanguilig’s alloy Vellum is also about P200,000.