Lapu-Lapu ready for Ronda Pilipinas

The city of Lapu-Lapu gears up for another major hosting event when it welcomes the fifth stage of the 2013 LBC Ronda Pilipinas on Jan. 18.

The prestigious cycling event starts at the Lapu-Lapu city hall grounds and will cover the northern trail of Cebu.

“This is considered the fourth biggest cycling race in the world so we are very happy to host such prestigious race,” said city tourism head Hembler Mendoza in yesterday’s meeting with organizers. “Even if it was a last-minute offer, Mayor Paz Radaza was very willing to host it because this will indeed help promote our sports tourism and it is a good jumpstart of a series of cycling races in Lapu-Lapu City.”

The original venue for the fifth stage was at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds. According to LBC’s Leonardo Divinagracia, the existing tension at the Capitol may have triggered the change of venue.

“As far as I know, problema sa venue may have led to the changing of the venue of the gunstart. We are very happy that despite the last-minute change, Mayor Radaza was still very willing to host the race,” Divinagracia  said.

Also present yesterday were City Traffic Management System (CTMS) chief Frank Brazil, Be Hotel general manager Gary Garcia, city school superintendent division  Dr. Edwardo Umpad, City Consultant Jonjie Gonzales, Sherwin Navarro, Rey Cris Balbuena and Cado Dolarito.

Cebu City hosts the fourth leg a day before and will cover the southern trail of the Cebu island. The Cebu City leg starts at the Plaza Independencia.

A total of 400 individuals, including the  90 cyclists coming from 12 teams, will start arriving and will be billeted at the Be Hotel.