Tour de Indonesia and the Pitaki cyclists

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THE trendy and most popular cycling squad in the country, the “Pitaki Boyz”, is now in Indonesia participating in this year’s 12-day Tour de Indonesia. They are doing battle against some of the best from Europe, Australia, South Africa, Middle East and also our fellow Asians in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and the host Indonesia, which fielded 10 local teams.

As of this writing (Dec. 4), the Mangaldan-based Pitaki road players sponsored by Jazy Sportswear/Beacon are in the third spot in the team general classification with two stages left to go. By the time you read this piece, the annual Tour, considered the second biggest in Asia next to Tour de Langkawi, would already be finished and hopefully our local boys managed to sustain if not improve their standing, both in the team and individual categories.

After the 10th stage, the team Tabriz Petrochem of Iran remains in the top position with Customs Cycling Club of Indonesia landing second, 25.12 minutes behind. The all-Pangasinan Pitaki squad had a deficit of 36.41 minutes and 7.34 minutes ahead of fourth placer Dodol Picnic, Indonesia’s second best contingent.

My son Jazy also said that if our cyclists could hold on to their third position, which I believe they can, his boys stand to earn $4,000 and will bring home more than $8,000 in prizes. That includes the big win of Sherwin Carrera in the 7th stage worth $900 and the 2nd and 3rd placing of Arnel Quirimit and Merculio Ramos, Jr. in the second leg plus ‘king of the mountains’ and intermediate sprint bonus prizes.

Not only that, the Pitaki quintet would have improved on their fifth place finish in the Tour de East Java held last April, their first international stint.

Sports aficionados keep asking me who the Pitaki Boyz are and what towns they come from and why they have such outstanding capabilities compared to the other Filipino cyclists?

The team was formed more than four years ago (July 2004), initially quartered in my house and now living at Jazy’s home at barangay Buenlag in Mangaldan town.

From the original composition of eight, namely: Sherwin Carrera of San Fabian, Merculio Ramos Jr. of Binalonan, Baler Ravina of Asingan, Emil Pablo of Umingan and Mangaldanons Ariel Flores, Adrian Malanum, Randy Castanares and Jazy, the new Pitaki Boyz now ballooned to 14 but sans Ravina, Pablo, Flores and Castanares.

The others in the team today are Renato Sembrano, Rex Carino and Arden Fernandez of Mangaldan, Reynaldo Navarro of San Jacinto, Ericson Obosa of Manaoag, Arnel Quirimit of Pozorrubio, Renier Clauna of Bugallon, Lito Atilano of Basista. The newest recruits are Irish Valenzuela from Manila who has roots in Binalonan and is now a resident of Mangaldan, and the youthful Mark Julius Bonzo of Sual.

Well, all that discipline paid off. It is bearing good fruits and hopefully it will continue.

Since the 2004 organization, many things have been modified, i.e., schedule of training, proper nutrition, strict discipline and the upgrading of their bicycles, particularly the gadgets.

Kung baga sa sabong ay para silang manok na nakakulong para siguradong maiwasan ang masamang bisyo especially alak, sigarilyo at droga.

But the team does need help. Contributions and assistance from private groups and particularly from our public servants headed by Gov. Amado T. Espino will go a long way for them. But having said that, with or without help from anybody, my son’s team can carry on for Pangasinan.

This is the first cycling organization of its kind in the Philippines. And Pangasinan can be truly proud of them.

(Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
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