"Para sigurado dahil ayaw ko ng kakaba-kaba pa. Gusto ko nang mag-relax bukas," said Davadilla, now only 90 kilometers away from fulfilling his destiny.
At the end of the ninth stage, Davadilla has piled up a time of 35 hours, 44 minutes and 50.44 seconds, 5’26 up on closest rival Frederick Feliciano.
That lead is expected to remain untouched after the final stage which is just a 90km criterium race on a 5.6km circuit covering the Luneta, Quirino Grandstand, Roxas Boulevard and the Raja Sulayman Park start-finish area. It starts at 1 p.m.
"Kahit paglabanan namin iyan. Mahihirapan sila, dahil event ko rin iyan sa SEA Games," said the national rider from Valenzuela.
Going into the final day of the 10-stage, 11-day tour presented by Tanduay, Davadilla has won two honors, having earned the King of the Mountain crown in Baguio and the team championship with his Colt 45 teammates at the end of the Baguio-Angeles run. He swept the two Tagaytays stages earlier.
Touch Mobile’s Nilo Estayo, meanwhile, has emerged the virtual Sprint King.
Colt 45 won by 30 minutes and 48 seconds over runner-up Tourism and another three minutes over third placer Metro Drug. Davadilla and teammates Carlo Jasul, Michael Reyes, Johnny Dasalla, Darwin Marana, David Perez, Leonardo Lingas, Darwin dela Cruz and Hillson Mangahas earned P700,000 in the team championship.
The Colt 45 riders covered all bases in putting a fitting climax to their team race conquest and, at the same time, help in Davadilla’s bid to pull away further from his pursuers in the individual event.
There’s Marana aiding Davadilla in a breakaway just 30 kilometers into the race and Jasul, Reyes and Dasalla staying with the main pack to keep Feliciano and deposed champion Rhyan Tanguilig in check.
"Malaki talaga ang naitulong sa akin ng mga teammates ko at syempre ganoon din ang coach namin na si Carlo Guieb," said Davadilla.
Actually, it was Marana who signaled Davadilla to launch an attack as they hit a short stretch of rough road in Asingan, Pangasinan. "Agwat Kapitan," Marana was heard hollering his team captain.
Nine riders joined the breakaway, and they took turns in setting up the pace before Davadilla launched another attack upon hitting Balibago for the solo finish witnessed by a huge weekend crowd here.
Elmer Atilano beat Desi Hardin, Edwin Paragoso, Marlon Servino and Marana in a mad dash for second place honors, 11 seconds behind Davadilla.
Feliciano and Tanguilig came in with the third and the fourth groups, respectively. Both were over four minutes behind Davadilla.
Feliciano and Tanguilig kept their second and third spots in the overall individual leadership, followed by Lito Atilano, Sherwin Diamsay, Dasalla, Danny Ganigan, Arnel Quirimit, Marana and Alvin Benosa in the Magic 10.
Davadilla said whatever doubts he had at the start of the day were crushed as many of the remaining cyclists just cruised like tourists.
"Wala nang duda. Tapos na ang laban," said Davadilla, the 1998 Centennial Tour champ now a heartbeat away from becoming a new member of elite list of riders who won two tour crowns.
A number of riders opted to just ride it safe to the finish, accepting the futility of a go-for-broke bid.
"Top three lang naman ang may premyo sa individual race, eh bakit pa kami magpapakamatay," Quirimit, the 2003 champion who was already way behind at eighth before the race, was quoted as saying.