Friday, October 17, 2008 Summer Tour to be revived in`09
AFTER a year of battling a controversy, the cycling community will once more come alive with the return of the summer races next year.
The annual summer race, Tour Pilipinas or Padyak Pinoy, the country’s version of the Tour de France, was canceled this year after the national governing body for cycling needed to attend to the corruption allegations that were slapped on them by members of the national team.
With the heat dissipating, race organizers are now preparing for a busy summer ahead with the return of the summer Tour, dubbed Tour of Luzon and the possibility of bringing back Padyak.
The Tour of Luzon has already staged one qualifying race last month and two more are scheduled for November and one in December.
Technical official Joel Baring said that after the December leg, they will be tallying the points of the racers and those who made the Top 100, will be drafted by the 12 teams that are already waiting for their team roster.
Sadly, however, no Cebuano was able to join the first qualifying race and they may have a hard time making it to the Top 100 if they only join the last two races.
Baring added that there is still a chance for them to compete this summer if they form a solid Visayas team. The catch phrase, however, is they need to get a sponsor that is willing to pay for the P400,000 sponsorship fee.
“There are private entities that are willing to support our local racers. But it is a long shot and we hope that we can field our own entry to the Tour,” Baring added. (MCB)
