Mayor Alarcio fetes Gabot and Recodos

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

I APPRECIATE what Laoac Mayor Silverio Alarcio recently did to two homegrown cyclists. The mayor gave recognition awards to former Tour of Luzon champions Rufino Gabot and Gonzalo Recodos on July 5 during the regular Monday flag-raising ceremony. According to media colleague Altig of Sonshine Radio who attended the affair, the two were teary-eyed upon receiving their honors personally from the sports-minded mayor. Alarcio also said the two will receive an incentive amount of P500 per month from the municipal government, at least good for pam-patawid gutom, ika nga.

I’m a fan of Kuya Rufing. In fact, he was one of my idols during his time, with Edmundo de Guzman, the 1962 Tour of Luzon king from Lingayen. I caught up with them during their fading days and raced against them in the Tour during my prime era. Gabot and Recodos raced for East Pangasinan, de Guzman for Central Pangasinan while I carried the West Pangasinan squad.  (My team won in that race). Yes, we were enemies on bike, but off bike, we’re good friends.

Gabot’s record shows that after his strong first runner-up finish in the 1956 Tour won by Sta. Rosa, Laguna robust rider Antonio Arzala, he learned his lessons well and successfully captured the coveted crown the following year with his brother-in-law, teammate and town mate Igmidio Jacinto (now deceased) in tow to land second overall. The two displayed immense teamwork and cohesiveness to fashion out a 1-2 Pangasinense overall finish and propelled their Pangasinan squad to win also the team tiara. Gabot, now 75, was the first Pangasinense to win the fabled national crown.

I know little about Recodos. During my chitchat with him many years past in his hometown, Recodos admitted that Kuya Rufing was also his star of the Tour. He said he was inspired by Kuya Rufing’s ability, especially his mountain climbing prowess. Recodos, believing that he can duplicate Kuya Rufing’s feat, joined the Tour and eventually after three years of trying, he won the Tour diadem in 1963. He was the first fellow to win the Tour without winning a single stage. That’s one for the books, ika nga. I would describe him as a consistent pedal-pusher.

And the rest is history.

Mabuhay ka Mayor Alarcio. Carry on with your sports program in your municipality, especially during town fiestas. Don’t stop organizing sports activities because for sure you will capture the heart of the youth who are sports lovers too, like you.

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Congrats to the organizers of the ‘goodwill basketball games’ held July 5 at Dagupan People’s Astrodome with the visiting AMA Computer of Manila licking the University of Luzon and Colegio de Dagupan Team A thrashing off University of Luzon Team B. (See related story on this page) Avid basketball fans, mostly students, came in thousands and almost filled the dome. To Seato Gonimil, Jack Vidal and Manny Gatchalian, mabuhay kayo. Sana maulit pa before the PRISAA-UCAAP Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship opens. It’s a good tune-up game for your players.

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Congratulations also to our national cyclist Nilo Estayo of Pozorrubio who won the gold medal in the just concluded Mountain Bike Marathon in Singapore. The RP squad swept the event with Eusebio Quinones and Alvin Benosa, both from Bicol, winning the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

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