Seven foreign squads join 2014 Ronda bikathon

MANILA, Philippines — Crack riders from seven foreign teams will provide opposition to the country’s top cyclists for the first time in the Ronda Pilipinas Tour that hits the road on February 1 at Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Global Cycling Team Holland leads the strong international field that includes Japan’s Matrix Powertag, Chinese Taipei’s Team Gusto, Iran’s Ayandeh Continental Team and Thailand’s CNN Cycling Team.

Also competing are Uzbekistan’s national squad and Malaysia’s crack national team.

Reigning Ronda Pilipinas king Irish Valenzuela will spearhead the local challenge along with 2012 champ Mark Galedo, who is fresh from a gold-medal performance in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Burma (Myanmar).

Both will represent separate Road Bike 7-Eleven squads in the team competition of the 14-stage tour which covers 1,776.1 kilometers.

Ronald Oranza, a Southeast Asian Games Games bronze medalist, will spearhead Team PLDT, which is also rated highly with its roster of national under-23 riders.

The other local teams are Philippine Army, Philippine Navy Standard Insurance, Team Cebu and Team Mindanao Cycleline Butuan.

The tour, backed by LBC, MVP Sports Foundation, Maynilad, PLDT and Mitsubishi, begins with a 66-kilometer criterium on Feb. 1.

The rest of the stages: Stage 2 (156.7 km)—Muntinlupa to Silang, Cavite; Stage 3 (135.9 km)—Tagaytay to San Pablo City; Stage 4 (103.7 km)—San Pablo City to Lucena; Stage 5 (148.2 km)—Lucena-Lucena; Stage 6 (155.1 km)—Lucena to Antipolo City; Stage 7 (172 km)—Valenzuela City to Tarlac; Stage 8 (182.2 km)—Tarlac City to Dagupan; Stage 9 (97.4 km)—Dagupan to Baguio via Kennon Road; Stage 10 (72.9 km)—Baguio criterium; Stage 11 (98 km)—San Fernando, La Union to Baguio via Marcos Highway; Stage 12 (182 km)—Agoo-Angeles City; Stage 13 (146 km)—Angeles to Subic; Stage 14 (60 km)—Metro Manila criterium.