Cyclists to cover a lot of ground in Le Tour

The Le Tour de Filipinas celebrates its biggest edition yet with the 17 teams composed of 85 riders pedaling over four regions, seven provinces, 10 cities and 50 municipalities in the race’s ninth edition that starts May 20.

From the Stage 1 start at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, the 17 squads of five riders each will race to the Nueva Ecija finish in Palayan City via Valenzuela City and seven towns in Bulacan, crossing the North Luzon Expressway in San Simon before passing through three Pampanga and six Nueva Ecija municipalities.

Stage 2 on May 21 will send the riders off from Cabanatuan City again over Palayan City and four more Nueva Ecija towns before reaching the Balete Summit as the race enters three Nueva Viscaya towns before the Bayombong finish.

Stage 3 traces the same route, this time starting from Bambang. The cyclists then negotiate the 184-kilometer stage through Lupao before getting a warm welcome in Umingan, Pangasinan.

The decisive 154.65-km Stage 4 on May 23 will start at Pangasinan provincial capitol with the route covering flat roads in one city and 10 more towns in the province, before making a catapult ascent in Rosario and Tuba in La Union for the ever treacherous Kennon Road climb.