MANAOAG son and veteran Ericson Obosa used his sprinting skills to race past his eight breakaway partners in the last 400 meters and win the P10,000 top prize in the “Tour de Cinco y Seiz Distritos” bikefest last Sunday which wheeled off  and finished in  Rosales town.

The main pack of the start-studded event was kept intact for the first 24 kilometers till the nationals led by 2006 Tour Pilipinas titlist Santy Barnachea made their move and led a breakaway pack.

Barnachea’s non-stop attack broke the main pack after Umingan town, with 14 others in tow including Pozorrubio’s pride 2003 Tour Pilipinas champ Arnel Quirimit and Obosa.

The relentless 15-man lead group stayed together and alternately changed pace-setters among them for at least 70 kilometers that widened their gap over the determined pursuing second pack.

However, the front-runners began to fragment after 95 kilometers of riding with tour veteran and seven-time national sprint king and former national rider Enrique Domingo of San Carlos City suffering leg cramps after Pozorrubio town.

RP national member Emilito Atilano of Basista and former co-RP teammate Nilo Estayo of Pozorrubio suffered the same fate after Binalonan town with San Jacinto stalwart and ex-national Reynaldo Navarro escaping on passing Binalonan but the group eventually    caught up with him before reaching Urdaneta City proper.

The 13-man pacer pack was reduced to nine before hitting the town of Sto. Tomas – 37 kilometers to the finish—with unheralded Edilberto Orpilla assuming the lead.

Obosa, Quirimit and Orpilla took the initiative 10 kilometers to the finish and never looked back with Obosa outsprinting the duo and with more energy to spare.

Orpilla landed second to pocket P7, 000 and Quirimit checked in third worth P5, 000. The three clocked the 175- kilometer well-paved flat trek in four hours, 11 minutes and 23 seconds. The three also received a trophy each.

Elmo Ramos, Jr. of Binalonan placed fourth, good for P3, 000 and Barnachea came in fifth worth P2,000.

Rounding up the top ten are: Renato Sembrano of Mangaldan, 6th; Sherwin Carrera of San Fabian, 7th; Baler Ravina of Asingan, 8th; Emil Pablo of Umingan, 9th and Estayo 10th.

The sixth to tenth placers received a medal each. – JAG

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