Manila, Philippines - The LBC Ronda Pilipinas, the biggest cycling event during the last 12 years, starts its quest for the king of the road today in the first of five regional qualifying races for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Tarlac City is the venue for the first three regional qualifiers, with the first trials set today to select six riders each for the teams of Pangasinan 1 (West and Central), Pangasinan 2 (East) and Nueva Ecija.
Tomorrow’s qualifying races at the same venue will be for the teams of Central Luzon, Ilocandia and Cagayan Valley.
The third Luzon trials, slated Sunday, will select the members of the NCR, Southern Tagalog and Bicol teams.
The qualifying races shift on May 12 to Silay, Negros Occidental to determine the composition of two teams for the Visayas region. The last qualifier will be held May 15 in Malaybalay, Bukidnon for the teams representing the Mindanao region.
The 90 riders from the eliminations will be distributed according to their place of birth or residence among the 15 teams that will compete for the total pot of P7 million at stake in individual and team categories, with P1 million going to the individual champion and another P1 million to the team winner.
The LBC Ronda Pilpinas, set Sept. to October, will be a 12-stage, 20-day tour of key cities in the country’s three major islands, with the Baguio-to-Baguio stage serving as the deciding leg in the 1,650 km odyssey.
Moe Chulani, LBC sports marketing consultant, said riders can still register for the Visayas and Mindanao eliminations.
Interested riders may secure application forms from any LBC branch nationwide and Rudy Project Stores or download them at www.rondapilipinas.com. There are no entry fees.
Applicants must send application forms along with clear photocopies of identification documents (ID) and signed waiver via LBC or personally submit them to LBC Express Solutions, Inc. LBC Ronda Pilipinas Secretariat, 2308, Natividad Bldg., Don Chino Roces Extension (Pasong Tamo), Makati.
For details and more information about the Visayas and Mindanao qualifying races, log on to www.facebook.com/rondapilipinas or email secretariat@rondapilipinas.com or mobile No. 09198967554.