Ronda Pilipinas race execs ready for Visayas qualifier

DUMAGUETE CITY—Race officials of the Ronda Pilipinas 2015 are set to arrive here today with chief commissaire Martin Bruin to pave the way for the staging of local cycling’s showpiece event late this month.

Bruin, responsible for running the richest race in Asia four years in a row, will have a seasoned commissaire 2 in Micky Rob. They will be joined by technical director Jamal Mahmoud of Malaysia and fellow race officials Eduard Park of Korea and Ji Ji Qui of China.

Presented by LBC, this year’s Ronda begins with a three-stage qualifying leg on Wednesday with an expected field of over 100 riders.

A total of 54 (50 elite and four junior) qualifiers after three laps of the Visayas qualifier will advance to the championship round in Luzon on Feb. 22 to 27 from Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Baguio City.

Local officials, led by Ronda executive director Moe Chulani, race director Ric Rodriguez and administration director Jack Yabut arrived yesterday in this Negros Oriental capital.

The rest of the 150 Ronda staff along with some 50 vehicles, 42 motorcycles and two police mobile units arrived yesterday afternoon by ferry.

“We expect all participants to arrive tomorrow,” said Rodriguez.

From the Visayas, Ronda will go to Luzon for a two-stage qualifier on Feb. 16 and 17 in Tarlac and Antipolo City where 34 berths (30 elite, four juniors) will be staked.

The 88 Visayas and Luzon qualifiers will join last year’s winner Reimon Lapaza of Butuan, the nine-man national team spearheaded by Mark Galedo and a composite European team in the national leg. June Navarro