Sports Eye
Ebdane’s race, my biggest yet
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
EVEN during my prime years in bicycle racing, I already started to organize and direct road races. My first was on March 14, 1974 during the fiesta of my hometown Mangaldan. I always remember monumental events, especially the firsts, in my life. That race was won by Wenselmo Baguio of Urdaneta, my teammate during the 1973 Tour of Luzon. Baguio is now my constant assistant director for the races that I handle.
The last one I handled was the Jun Ebdane Cup Pangasinan Day Cyling Classic held November 13. It was the 155th race I directed and the biggest single day bikefest that I organized in terms of prizes totaling P105,000. It surpassed the Nerez Bikefest Siklista Kontra Sa Droga held on August 26, 2007 and the annual Fidel D. Ginez Cycling Classic being held every year in conjunction with the celebration of Asingan town fiesta. The Ginez race was temporarily discontinued in 2008 following 14 years of consecutive racing. The Ebdane race also attracted the second largest crowd that I have ever seen, next to the annual Werweran ed Mangaldan bikefest during the celebration of Mangaldan’s town fiesta.
The success of the Ebdane race has so inspired the former DPWH secretary that he now plans to organize more bicycle road races in the country. The sports-minded Ebdane told me he’s planning a bigger event that will be staged throughout the Philippines, starting in Mindanao, then Visayas and ending here in Luzon, most probably in Baguio City to run most likely for 21 or 24 days, excluding rest days. If it pushes through, I will likely be one of the race directors. And if that happens, it will be a gargantuan task for me. And as far as I know, the event will be the biggest, longest, and toughest in the history of Philippine cycling. If plans work out, the race will be held towards the end of January or early days of February next year.
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By the time you read this piece, the Region 1 PRISAA (Private School Athletic Association) Games is already in progress or already finished (Nov. 27-29). The Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center of Lingayen hosts the annual event this year under the leadership of PRISAA national chairman Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque. Sabi nga nila na kapag si Gonz ang namahala, ay tiyak na oki-doki ang resulta.
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My congrats to Sual cyclist Mark Julius Bonzo, the only cycling son of the late 1983 Marlboro Tour champion Romeo Bonzo, for winning again the Rollapaluza Rock n Rollin Tour at the San Miguel by the Bay held at the area around the Mall of Asia.
The defending titlist Bonzo, who defeated Briton Casper Hughes last year, clocked the 500-meter one-wheeled bike race in 22.60 seconds. Provincemate Alfie Catalan of San Manuel was third.
Bonzo, 24, is a member of the Mangaldan-based Pitaki Boyz cycling squad.
Kudos also to Malasiqui rider Marites Bitbit for placing second in the women’s division won by Annaliza Dysangco. Former national duathlete and SEA Games campaigner Dysangco defeated Bitbit by less than a second to retain her title.
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