THE province’s best professional and accredited amateur cyclists will race through the highways in the fifth and the sixth districts anew when the much-awaited cycling road race called “Tour de Cinco, Seis Distrito” reels off on July 16.

According to former Villasis Mayor Ramon Morden, chief race coordinator, the bikefest is exclusively for Pangasinan riders and cyclists from other areas in the country whose wives are natives of Pangasinan.

Top calibers in Philippine cycling led by four members of the Philippine national squad spearheaded by this year’s Tour Pilipinas champion Santy Barnachea of Umingan and 2003 Tour Pilipinas titlist Arnel Quirimit of Pozurrubio are participating.

Others expected to be at the starting line are 2006Tour Pilipinas first runner-up Elmo Ramos, Jr. from Tarlac City (married in Binalonan), Sherwin Carrera of San Fabian, three-time Tour Sprint King Enrique Domingo of San Carlos City, 2005 Tour Pilipinas Rookie of the Year Baler Ravina of Asingan, 2005 SEA Games gold medalist Alfie Catalan and the youthful 2006 Siklista Laban Sa Droga winner Eduardo Nardo, both natives of San Manuel, Pangasinan.

Quirimit, Obosa, Sembrano and Ravina are members of the feared Pangasinan squad called “Pitaki Boyz” managed by Guam-based Jazy Sportswear, while Ramos and Carrera belong to the dreaded continental team Pagcor which competed in the annual Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia.

The race starts and ends in Rosales town traversing the municipalities of Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Tayug, Sta. Maria, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Pozorrubio, Sison, back to Pozorrubio, Laoac via barangay Lipit, Binalonan, Urdaneta City, Villasis, Carmen junction, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, back to Alcala, Sto. Tomas, Carmen junction, then winds up at Rosales across the municipal hall with an approximate distance of 175 kilometers.

Well-known sports buff Engr. Rosendo So, chief race organizer, said that the event will be  sponsored principally by Congressmen Mark Cojuangco and Conrado Estrella III and supported by prominent fifth district board members Robert “Eskimo” Estrella and Danny Uy, Panelco 3 Director Nestor Revita and Morden.

Engr. So also said that P42,000 in cash prizes will be up for grabs plus trophies and medals. The champion will win pocket P10,000 plus trophy.

First and second runners-up will net P7,000 and P5,000, respectively, and trophies.

Fourth place is worth P3,000 and  fifth is good for P2,000 while the sixth to tenth finishers will earn P1,000 each. Fourth to tenth placers will receive medal apiece.

“We believe that by organizing a race like this, our local cyclists can train and prepare them for future bigger competitions,” Morden explained.

The wheel-by-wheel account of the well-paved and flat trek road battle will be aired live from start to finish over Aksyon Radyo DWCM 1161 KHz am.

The race will be flagged off at 9:30 am.

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