BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Le Tour de Filipinas has covered 483 kilometers and over 20 municipalities and cities but top riders and coaches say it all boils down to one day - the 132.7-kilometer Stage Four from this municipality to Baguio City.
The formidable Tabriz Petrochem team from Iran has shown its might in the early goings and has held the top spot in the standings for three days and recorded one stage win, but coach Kazemi Sarai Ahad said the true test — and what they actually came here for — is the Baguio stage.
“If not for Stage Four, maybe we wouldn’t come here,” said Kazemi, a two-time Asian champion and now the Iran team's coach and manager.
“It will be a very good race, tough but very good,” he said, noting that cooler conditions could work to their advantage although his riders won’t mind riding under the scorching sun.
The race on the Kayapa-Baguio road features one intermediate sprint and three King of the Mountain climbs, and is expected to separate the contenders from the pretenders in the race presented by Air21 in partnership with San Miguel Corp. and Smart.
Overall leader Lee Ki Suk of Korea, riding for continental team CCN, has also done his homework and admits there are only certain parts of the stage where he could shine the brightest.
“Tomorrow, there will be one sprint. I will try to take the points,” Lee said. “But the mountain, not so.”
Two-time Marlboro Tour winner Renato Dolosa, coach of American Vinyl Philippines, was not surprised to see little changes in the standings after the 104-km Stage Three from Cauayan in Isabela to this municipality, saying with a wide grin that: “Bukas na yan magkakaalaman.”
The race started with a 183-km stage from Bangui in Ilocos Norte, famous for its wind farm, to Aparri, followed by a 196-km race from Aparri to Cauayan.
Jonipher 'Baler' Ravina, who became only the second Filipino rider to win a Union Cycliste Internationale event when he topped last year’s Le Tour, had failed in the past two days to close in on the leaders after a faltering start but is still keeping his fingers crossed as the tour enters its final phase.
“Kaya pa rin iyan. May advantage pa rin naman tayo, mas pamilyar tayo sa ruta,” who last year overcame a deficit of almost two minutes, but is now faced with the challenge of coming back from over seven minutes behind the leaders in the event sponsored by Standard Insurance, Jinbei, Victory Liner, San Mig Coffee, Magnolia Purewater, Red Media, Foton, Maynilad, Kia, Sign Media, Integrated Waste Management Inc., Eurotel, American Vinyl, LBC and 7-Eleven.
Sixty riders from the original 73 remain after several riders abandoned the race in the earlier stages, while Korean rider Han Dong Geol of Korail was hit by a motorcycle escort in Stage Three and had to pull out from the race.
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