Sports Eye

How the West was won

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

OCCASIONAL rains kept pouring in evening of May 27. Worried and tensed, I woke up at wee hours of May 28 and monitored the weather that gave me a big headache. I had to decide whether to postpone the bikefest “I Love Pangasinan Cycling Classic 2017,” a brainchild of our sports-minded and dynamic leader Gov. Amado “Pogi” Espino, lll.  I told our provincial sports executive officer Modesto Operania that if the rains won’t stop by 8:00 a.m., I’d have no choice but to reschedule the event.

Being a former professional cyclist I knew that slight rain makes the road slippery and hazardous for the speeding cyclists and cause multiple spills among the participants especially in downhill drive and curves. But with the blessing of God and Mama Mary to whom I prayed, the downpour stopped and the sun shone brightly. The road race went on but delayed by 25 minutes.

Fifty-eight contestants were flagged off by our province tourism Special Events chief Marife Panlilio-Acerit and the UCI ten-kilometer ‘controlled-pace’ rule was politely obeyed.

San Manuel town’s veteran rider Loreto Tadena was the first competitor to attack the peloton and led by almost a kilometer but the pursuing main group eventually caught up at Sual town and he faded back at the Suasalito Point climb.

It was Villasis son mountain climber Jay Lampawog who cut the peloton into three groups and topped the summit line towing four riders Nelson Martin and Arjay Peralta from Nueva Ecija, Ronald Lomotos of Zambales and lone Japanese rider Daisuke Kaneko. The second pack, composed of another Villasis ace Bonjoe Martin, Jhonrey Buccat of San Manuel, George Oconer of San Mateo, Rizal and Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija’s pride Rustom Lim, was less than a minute behind.  The main group was way behind led by Ronda Pilipinas back-to-back (2016-2017) champion Jan Paul Morales of Marikina City and three-time national Tour champion Manileno John Mark Galedo.

Rustom Lim hanged on to the second pack up to the turning point in Infanta town 3:36 minutes adrift until he broke away from his group alone at the climb outskirt of Mabini until he caught the leading five before Alaminos City, alternating the pace with others for at least 30 kilometers.

Rain drizzled caught the first group after Labrador town and rode cautiously for some minutes until to my surprise, road warrior Novo Ecijano Lim bravely made another heroic move, made a sprint despite the sudden heavy downpour at barangay Dulig, Labrador, seven kilometers to the finish and arrived all-by-his-lonesome 33 seconds ahead of Nelson Martin and local boy Lampawog. (Lampawog ruled all the three summit prizes donated by Alex Billan of Excellent Noodles.)

The 2011 Asian Junior Cycling Championship bronze medalist 24 year-old Lim clocked the 194-kilometer flat, hilly, dry and wet western coastal highways of Pangasinan in 4:58:23 to bring home the top prize P20,000. Martin finished second while Lampawog was good for third. The trio received a handsome trophy each.

Watch our for more races after the wet season. The 7-day Le Tour de Norte is in the offing.

*          *          *          *

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said, “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” MATTHEW 20: 16

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments