Quirimit yearns for another Tour title

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THE much-awaited and much-touted LBC Ronda Pilipinas multi-stage bikathon is just a month away, ready to kick off from Cagayan de Oro City on September 24.

The event’s sponsor, LBC Express Inc., is giving a P1 million tax-free prize to the individual winner and another P1 million to the team champion. Two Pangasinan teams, East Pangasinan to be skippered by 2006 Padyak Pinoy king Santy Barnachea of Umingan and West-Central Pangasinan to be bannered by the aging 2003 Tour Pilipinas titlist Arnel Quirimit of Pozorrubio, will be our province’s official representatives in this 12-day road saga.

Truth is, we have more riders who passed the qualifying races but were accommodated in different teams like sprint whiz kid Ericson Obosa of Manaoag and Sherwin Carrera of San Fabian who are joining the commercial squad 7-Eleven. Merculio Ramos Jr., who was born in Tarlac City but a bona fide resident now of Binalonan being a son-in-law of the town, and Paniqui son Joseph Millanes who got married in Dagupan City are also participating. Also Irish Valenzuela, who is a son-in-law of Mapandan, will represent Bicol as his hometown is Tabaco, Albay.

About two weeks ago, the 36-year old Quirimit paid me a surprise visit together with his teammate Reynaldo Navarro, also an aging cyclist from San Jacinto. I asked Quirimit if he still believes that he has a chance to win another Tour title, he unabashedly and confidently said in Filipino, “kung si Cadel Evans ng Australia ay naging kampeon sa Tour de France sa edad na 34, wala akong pag-aalangan na kaya ko pa ang isa bago ako mag-retire sa pamimisiklita.”

Navarro a year older at 37, echoed Quirimit saying like his captain his ambition is to be on the top ten in the overall standing. The two are enlisted in the Philippine Army with Quirimit as sergeant and Navarro as ‘private first class.’

Their teammates are Renato Sambrano (asst. captain) from Mangaldan, Renier Clauna of Bugallon, Rene Esteban of San Fabian and Mark Julius Bonzo of Sual, the son of the late 1983 Marlboro Tour champion Romeo Bonzo. Bonzo, by the way, is married to an English lass, owner of a David’s Salon. Their manager and technical director is my son Jazy.

Aside from Barnachea, the east squad is composed of Baler Ravina of Asingan, Ferdinand Pablo of Umingan, my namesake Jesus Garcia of Sta. Maria and Juancho Callorina and Edmund Nicolas, Jr. both from San Manuel town. Their manager and technical director is Tour of Luzon veteran Elpidio Camat of Laoac, but now a resident of Baguio City. Last that I heard, the east riders are now billeted in the city of Pines at Camat’s residence.

Let’s cheer for them when they pass through Pangasinan. But for reasons I don’t know, there’s no lap terminal here in our province, just passing some of our eastern towns twice. The first one will be on October 3 and they will be coming from Tarlac City bound to San Fernando, La Union, a 142-kilometer flat trek in the seventh stage.

The second will be on October 8 and they will be coming from Baguio City proceeding to Angeles City. The short 11th stage, with a risky decent at Marcos highway, covers a distance of 130 kilometers.

Let’s watch and cheer them by the roadside.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I’d rather die with honor than live on bended knees.” – Late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

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