Padyak hits road tomorrow, rain or shine

MANILA, Philippines – Amid the threat of a storm, Padyak Pinoy “Tour of Champions Invitational Challenge 2009” hits the road tomorrow with the country’s intrepid cyclists tackling the first of the tour’s eight stages starting in Global City in Taguig and ending in Apalit, Pampanga.

Tour chairman Gary Cayton said the riders are raring to test their limits and the elements, notwithstanding a weather forecast of a coming tropical storm.

Weather forecasters said tropical storm “Chan-Hom” is expected today to hit northern and central Luzon. But tour veterans said searing heat and heavy rains are part and parcel of the fabled event which makes a return this year after a two-year hiatus.

Fifteen teams composed of five cyclists each vie in the eight-stage tour covering 1,150 kms of flat lands, hairpin curves and excruciating mountain climbs.

The tour takes the bikers to the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pangasinan, Tarlac, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Benguet, culminating with the dreaded eight-loop Baguio-to-Baguio stage.

After the Taguig-Apalit stage (165 kms), it’s the Apalit-to-Apalit ride (98 kms) then Apalit-Dagupan (171 kms), Dagupan-San Fernando, La Union (71 kms); San Fernando-Vigan (139 kms), Vigan-Laoag-Vigan (160 kms), Vigan-La Trinidad (163 kms) then the Baguio-to-Baguio finale (195 kms).

All stages are massed-start, except the Dagupan-San Fernando, which is an individual time trial.

A total cash prize of P2.2 million is up for grabs with the team champion getting P500,000 and the individual winner receiving P50,000. The King of the Mountain and Rookie of the Year will also receive P20,000 each.

Former Tour champions Santy Barnachea, Warren Davadilla and Arnel Querimit and veterans Sherwin Cabrera, Merculio Ramos Bernard Luzon, Baler Ravina, Lloyd Reynante, Frederick Feliciano, Joel Calderon, Bernardo Luzon and Ericson Obosa are among those fancied to fight it out for the individual championship.

Barnachea, the 2002 Tour of Calabarzon champion and 2006 Padyak Pinoy winner, will captain the Air21 squad. Querimit, who ruled the 2003 Tour ng Pilipinas, skippers Columbia Sports while Davadilla, another two-time tour champion and veteran RP rider, banners Mail and More.

Also riding as team captains are Ravina (Burger King), Ramos (Wow Magic Sing), Cabrera (Tanduay), Obosa (U-Freight), Luzon (Go 21), Feliciano (Cargohauz), Calderon (Smart Buddy), Oscar Rindole (Ube Media), Nilo Barbaluse (Navray), Hilson Mangahis (Gin Kapitan), Robert Villaber (Solarlina).

Other noted riders in the field are brothers Reinhard and Ronald Gorantes, Enrique Domingo, Irish Valenzuela, Renato Sembrano, Emelito Atilano, Eusebio Quinones, Alvin Benosa and John Ricafort.

Conspicuously absent in the list is recently crowned Tour of Luzon champion Mark Guevarra.

A Padyak Pinoy official said invitations for this tour were given away months before the staging of the other tour. Guevarra was relatively unknown until he topped the Tour of Luzon.