Sports Eye
Remembering my cycling mentor
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
IT was morning of December 22 when I received a text message from my cycling contemporary Jesse “Og” Mosada of Mapandan saying my cycling maestro, Tour of Luzon veteran Bienvenido Bongato had passed away in Canada due to colon cancer. The bad news was relayed to him by Kuya Edoy’s (his nickname) nephew, Gilbert.
I was shocked because the last time I saw Kuya Edoy in downtown Mangaldan summer of 2014, he showed no signs of frailness. He rode his old bike with his townmate Mosada and both had biked from Damortis, La Union. Mosada, a retired senior police officer 4, said Kuya Edoy, 77, came to Mapandan yearly to attend their town’s annual fiesta. He failed to attend the festival last year because of his cancer. Unknown to many, Kuya Edoy was the first of my three mentors in cycling and a veteran of seven Tour of Luzon bikathons (1962 to 1967) being a member of the Pangasinan team. Not selected in 1974, the Mindanao team borrowed him as a competitive member in the 16-day Tour of Luzon and Visayas. That was his last professional race. Taking the opportunity in early 1980’s, the Bongato family migrated to Spain and eventually moved to Canada until his demise.
I still recall how Kuya Edoy and I used to bike from Mapandan to Nichols Air Base (Pasay City) every week middle of 1960’s to join the annual Track Cycling Championship held weekly at Rizal Memorial Track and Field Stadium organized by the late Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta. I believed that our weekly ride pushed me harder to achieve the physical condition needed to win the Tour three time. In addition, we rode to Baguio City and back to my town via Kennon and sometimes Naguilian Road every week. It was not easy because the training was strenuous and taxing. But despite our intensive training during those years, Kuya Edoy did not land in the top ten overall during my time perhaps it was because he lacked the the mountain-climbing prowess which is very critical in multi-stage racings.
Kuya Edoy is best remembered for his contributions to the Pangasinan team to win often the team honors for our province. The most memorable was when he bagged the 9th stage of the 1963 Tour of Luzon (from Baguio City to Bangued, Abra) when he towed his teammates Teofilo Cuison of Dagupan City and the late Felipe Alvarez of Basista. (That 14-day bikathon was eventually won by Gonzalo Recodos of barangay Laoac (now town), Manaoag).
Kuya Edoy is gone. Yes, he’s gone in this world but his deeds will never be forgotten especially to this writer. He taught me how to bike intelligently, meticulously, cautiously, astutely, to train strenuously and always to be healthy before and particularly during the battles.
Goodbye Kuya Edoy. Take the peaceful rest with the good Lord. We, your cycling contemporaries, will really miss you.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ISAIAH 9: 6
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