Top cyclists to test Padyak Pinoy’s eight-stage course

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s top cyclists get to test their limits once more in the Padyak Pinoy Tour of Champions slated from May 8 to 15. Fifteen teams composed of five cyclists each will vie in the eight-stage Tour that will approximately cover 1,150-kms of flat lands, hairpin curves and excruciating mountain climbs. The Tour was last held two years ago. The Tour starts in Taguig and will take bikers to the provinces of Pampanga, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Benguet. It will culminate with the eight-loop Baguio-to-Baguio killer lap. A total cash prize of P2.2 million is up for grabs with the team champion getting P500,000 and the individual winner receiving P50,000. The King of the Mountain and Rookie of the Year will also receive P20,000 each. Former Tour champions Santy Barnachea and Arnel Querimit, internationalist Sherwin Carrera and Merculio Ramos are among the big names that would lead their respective teams. Barnachea, the 2002 Tour of CALABARZON champion and 2006 Padyak Pinoy winner, will captain the Air21 squad. Querimit, who ruled the 2003 Tour ng Pilipinas, will banner Columbia Sports. “I have been preparing for the past month and I expect to do well in the Tour," said Barnachea. Ramos will lead the Wow Magic Sing team, while Carrera, fresh from stints in two international races, will spearhead one of the two Tanduay teams. Also acting as team captains are Sherwin Diamsa (Burger King), Oscar Rindole (Ube), Ericson Obosa (A Freight), Baler Ravina (Navray), Warren Davadilla (Mail and More), Lucien Reynante (IWMI), Frederick Feliciano (Cargohaus), Hilson Mangahis (Tanduay 2), and Joel Calderon (Smart). – GMANews.TV