Le Tour de Filipinas kicks off tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - The chief of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) has expressed confidence over another successful staging of the Le Tour de Filipinas, which rolls out its fifth edition tomorrow in Clark, Pampanga.

“The organizing committee in the Philippines, which is coming up to become one of the cycling powers in Asia, would be able, as in last year, to put up one of the memorable races of the Le Tour,” ACC president Cho Hee Wok of Korea said.

Wok, an alter ego of International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson, has served as ACC head for three terms and has monitored the Le Tour de Filipinas and given his blessing on the four-stage race since its 2010 inaugurals.

A core group of the annual race presented by Air21 as an advocacy of cycling godfather and PhilCycling  chairman Alberto Lina is overseeing preparations in Angeles City during the Lenten break. The group is composed of Alma Lumibao, Joel Golayan, Egay Lorenzo, Haggie Narag and Joel David and a staff from the co-organizer Ube Media.

All 15 teams – 13 foreign and two local – were all accounted for in Clark yesterday (Black Saturday). Each team in the Le Tour also supported by Smart, NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX, BCDA, Petron, Victory Liner and M. Lhuillier, is composed of five riders each.

“The Asia Tours have played a driving force behind cycling activities organized in every country and are also key elements in the development of cycling sports in our member countries, Asia and the world as well,” said Cho. “These two factors would in themselves be very sufficient to describe the importance of the 2014 Le Tour de Filipinas organized in the Philippines.”

The 2014 Le Tour de Filipinas will be flagged off with tomorrow’s 160-km Clark-Olongapo Stage One, Tuesday’s 170-km Stage Two from Olongapo City to Cabanatuan City, Wednesday’s 146.6-km Stage Three from Cabanatuan City to Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya and finally Thursday’s roller-coaster 134-km Stage Four to Burnham Park in Baguio City on April 24.