CEBU PROVINCE will once again be at the focal point of cycling as the Cebu Challenge: 443rd Founding Anniversary Cycling Classic kicks off on Aug. 8 starting with the Prologue race in Cebu City.
The event was launched yesterday in a press conference at the Cebu Grand Convention Center.
Present were organizer Boy Odilao and race director Joe Deresas. They were joined by distinguished cyclists led by Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Niño Surban and 1986 Tour of Luzon champion Orlando Pagnanawan.
Twelve of the country’s best cycling teams have already enlisted for this year’s biggest cycling tour in Cebu to compete for pride and cash prizes amounting to more than P50,000.
“This is really one of the biggest road races in the region,” said Deresas about the race that takes riders through 439.5 kilometers. “ There will be 12 teams from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao but we’re hoping that 20 will get to join.”
Among the teams that will be competing are the Navy, Team LBC, the Air Force and the Durano group, which was represented by Surban yesterday.
The race starts with the Prologue race at the South Road Properties to determine who will don the yellow jersey heading to the ensuing stage. It will be an individual time trial spanning 4.2 kilometers.
Stage 2 will be on the next day and it will be a massed start race that will take riders from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to Bogo City in a distance that covers 101.7 kilometers. The next day will be race from Bogo to Toledo City that spans 86.9 kilometers. On Saturday, the riders will have to endure a 186.7-kilometer race from Toledo to Argao. The final stage will be a criterium circuit race at the Park Mall and the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.
This race will be the biggest cycling tour in Cebu after the Grand Tour Central Philippines held in the 80’s and 90’s organized by the same people behind this tour in Odilao and Deresas.
The race is held in coordination with the provincial government of Cebu in line with the 443rd founding anniversary of the province.
“The province helped us organize this event together with the city mayors of towns covering the official route,” said Odilao. /CORRESPONDENTS DALE G. ROSAL and Jonas Panerio