LEGENDARY cyclist Paquito “Pacquing” Rivas passed away on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at the age of 79.
His wife, Sally, announced the news on Facebook.
Rivas made history in 1979 as the first Visayan to win the Philippine Marlboro Tour. Remarkably, he was only the second rider in the history of the fabled multi-stage race to claim the overall championship without winning a single stage.
The pride of Laoang, Northern Samar, was an exceptional climber whose prowess in the high altitudes earned him the moniker “Eagle of the Mountain.” His reputation was forged in his early years during the grueling Burgos-Baguio Individual Time Trial, where he consistently outperformed the field.
Beyond his cycling career, he served as enlisted member of the then-Philippine Constabulary. / SPORTS RADIO 918 AM