By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THERE will still be no national multi-stage bikefest this year after efforts to do it last year failed. According to my reliable source close to our national media colleague based in Metro Manila, Dwain Badua of the well-known Dwain Entertainment, the people behind the bikefest organization refused to say the main reason behind the decision, but I guess it can only be because of financial constraints.

The last national race was in 2022 called “Ronda Pilipinas” won by Ronald Lomotos of San Felipe, Zambales, the first Zambaleño to win a multi-stage cycling road race since its birth in 1955 called “Tour of Luzon” under the organization of the late Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta from Bayambang town. This report disappointed the country’s ardent cycling enthusiasts especially our local cyclists, including this writer.

Cycling is undisputably the number two favorite sport among Pangasinenses, after basketball. It already produced 21 national champions, a national record which I believe have not been surpassed to date. Far second is Metro Manila with eight national champs and third is Cebu with three.

Recall that Lacuesta’s Tour of Luzon was temporarily discontinued five times – 1968, 1970, 1971 1972 and 1978. It was revived in 1973 and this writer was the winner, the first of my three triumphs. The multi-stage race under Lacuesta was held in 1977 then called “Tour of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao” won by this writer again. Unfortunately, the 15-day bikathon was permanently cancelled in 1978.

The annual Marlboro Tour officially started in 1979 under the organization of Professional Cycling Association of the Philippines (PCAP) headed by the late lawyer and back-to-back Tour of Luzon champion (1966, 1967) the late Cornelio Padilla, Jr. It was won by the veteran mountain climbing specialist the Laoang, Sama- born Paquito Rivas. It was permanently discontinued in 1999 when our national government passed a law initiated then by Sen. Freddie Webb banning a cigarette to sponsor any kind of sport activities in the entire archipelago. The diminutive Valenzuela City-born Warren Davadilla won the last race in 1998. The multi-stage bikefest resumed as ‘Tour ng Pilipinas” in year 2000 that  San Jacinto-born Reynaldo Navarro won. The national bikefest continued annually but under different organizations and with different titles like the FedEx Tour, Tour ng Pilipinas, Le Tour de Filipinas, Padyak Pinoy and the Ronda Pilipinas. Unfortunately, Ronda Pilipinas stopped after 2022. Hopefully, a big commercial company will emerge to sponsor a new national tour.

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Because of rumors circulating among media colleagues and some politicos that Lingayen’s chief executive Leopoldo N. Bataoil is contemplating to seek a higher post in the province in 2025, I sought his reaction to it. The sports-minded Bataoil who sponsored the Arangkada Lingayen cycling road race last November 27, and just as I thought, without batting an eyelash, he said “I’m not a politically greedy fellow. I want to finish what I started to serve more my constituents in my beloved town.” So read this: he will run for reelection in 2025 as mayor.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” MATTHEW 6: 6

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