Le Tour pedals off in Antipolo

ANTIPOLO CITY—For the first time, there will be no mammoth climbs to conquer in the Le Tour de Filipinas when the four-day bikathon flags off today on this hilly site.

Instead, Frenchman Thomas Lebas and the rest of the field must summon their all-around skills for the general classification since the course covering a total distance of 691 kilometers wasn’t designed specifically for climbers or sprinters.

“My team and I will be up to the challenge,” said Lebas, the defending champion who claimed the 2015 individual title on the highlands of Baguio City.

“We know it’s going to be tough with a different terrain, but we’re ready,” added the leader of the Japan-based continental squad Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team.

Stage One of the race, presented by Air21 and organized by Ube Media Inc. headed by Donna May Lina, takes the 75 riders on a rolling 153-kilometer trip going to Lucena City with the toughest challenge of the day in Mabitac, an uphill town almost halfway through the course.

From there, it will be a fast lane to the finish on the roads of Laguna and Quezon provinces for the 12 foreign teams and three local groups featuring the continental team 7-Eleven Sava Road Bike Philippines, Team Cebu Kopiko and the Philippine national team.

“The course is designed for riders with power in sprints and a little talent in climbs,” said national team coach Bert Oconer, expecting his son George and seasoned riders Rustom Lim, Ronald Lomotos, Jerry Aquino Jr. and Julius Mark Bonzo to do the job for the Nationals.

Baler Ravina, the 2012 Le Tour champion, spearheads 7-Eleven RBP with Spaniard Edgar Nieto and Australian Jesse Ewart. They will work together with potential GC riders Marcelo Felipe and Nelson Martin.

International Commissaire Peter Tomlinson of Australia has been designated chief commissaire. Joining him are Filipino commissaires Jose Adolfo Cruz, Jun Lomibao and Carlos Gredonia, race comptroller Paquito Rivas and race director Modesto Bonzo. Air21 president Rudy Fulo, Le Tour adviser Gary Cayton and Le Tour project director Sunshine Mendoza also form part of the organizing team.