Friday, October 12, 2007 Cebuanos make 1-2 finish as race leader suffers mechanical failure at Bogo shrine By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE Cebuano riders received holy intervention and will have the Lady of Miraculous medal to thank for their first stage win in the Omega Pain Killer Tour of Cebu yesterday.
The shrine in Bogo became a significant spot for the Cebuanos not because of its religious significance but because it was where they got past the strong Manila riders to win yesterday’s stage, which ended in Daanbantayan.
Team Cebu Province team captain Albert Basirgo will be donning the green jersey going into today’s Stage 2 after winning yesterday’s 125-km race in 2 hours, 54 minutes 40.17 seconds. He was followed closely by teammate Nilo Barbalose, who clocked in 2:54.50.17.
At the shrine, the two were able to break away from the pack right after race leader Baler Ravina, the strongest contender of this race, suffered broken chains, forcing him to stop and exchange bikes with his teammate.
Upon sensing that Ravina was already way behind, the Cebuanos in the main pack composed of 18 or so riders, decided to work together.
“We did not know that he was left behind, when there were talks in the pack, that was when the Cebuanos decided to go for it,” said Barbalose.
After the shrine, Basirgo and Barbalose worked hand in hand to maintain the lead until the final five meters, where they fought each other in a neck-to-neck sprint toward the finish line.
The 28-year-old Basirgo is the runner up in the last Tour in 2003.
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Taking third place is Danao City’s Niño Surban, who crossed the finish line two minutes after Barbalose. Surban’s teammate March Aleonar is at fourth with a time of 2:56:43 while Carlos Nadyahan of Nueva Vizcaya completed the top five with 2:56:43. Making the top ten are Joseph Sarcelo of Nueva Viscaya, Edgardo Bollocer of Pangasinan, Marvin Villarosa of Talisay City, Marvin Pantonial of Nueva Viscaya and Eusebio Quinones of Danao City.
Ravina said that it since he had taken control of the race right from when it started, squandering it only with the chain incident.
“Sayang, because I was leading. I’ll just make up for it in the next stage,” said Ravina, who failed to make it into the top ten.
Ravina, who won the most challenging Baguio to Baguio stage of the Padyak Pinoy, the premier cycling competition of the country, defeated Basirgo and Robert Villager easily for the King of the Mountain title yesterday.
Meanwhile, Michael Reyes of Nueva Viscaya topped the intermediate sprint over Basirgo and Marvin Villarosa of Talisay City.
On the other hand, Basirgo and Barbalose’s 1-2 punch lifted Cebu province to taking temporary leadership in the team classification.
Cebu Province is currently on top after logging the shortest time after two days of racing with 8 hours, 51 minutes 40.21 seconds. Danao City came in second with 8:55.27.07. Nueva Vizcaya takes temporary third place with 8:55.50.31.
Today’s stage takes the race to the other end of Cebu, ending in Toledo City. (MCB)
