Le Tour hits road today; Iranians heavy faves

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—Filipino riders know the terrain and are used to the scorching heat more than any seasoned foreign cyclist in the 2013 Le Tour de Filipinas.

But the edge they possess simply vanished when Asia’s most revered continental team checked in for the four-day international race.

Tabriz Petrochemical, the Iran-based cycling squad feared for its aggressive style of riding, sets out as the heavy favorite in the UCI-sanctioned bikathon which flags off today with riders from 10 foreign and five local squads vying for the general classification title.

“We were aiming to retain the team title and win the individual (crown) as well,” said American Vinyl coach Rene Dolosa. “But when the Iranians came, we might as well forget about it and just go for second or third place.”

Tabriz riders, who swept the team and individual plums in 2011, skipped last year’s Le Tour, allowing American Vinyl and a bunch of homegrown mountain specialists headed by Baler Ravina and Joel Calderon to shine.

“Of course, I want to keep my title—I’m in good shape and my teammates are ready to back me up,” said the 2012 champion Ravina of 7-Eleven/Road Bike Philippines in Filipino.

For his triumph last year, Ravina became the only Filipino to barge into the top 100 of the Asian UCI rankings, coming in as No. 52.

Stage 1 from Bangui, Ilocos Norte, to Aparri, Cagayan, is a blustery 183-kilometer ride along sleepy seaside towns facing the Babuyan Islands in the Luzon Strait.

From Bangui, which is known for its windmills, riders go through a short climb early into the race before hitting the wind-swept flatlands beginning at the Patapat Viaduct.

Local talents Irish Valenzuela, Mark Galedo, Santy Barnachea, Ronald Gorantes, Cris Joven, Ronald Oranza, Rustom Lim, Lloyd Reynante, George Oconer and El Joshua Carino are also bidding to duplicate Ravina’s feat.

The fourth edition of the Le Tour, presented by Air21 in partnership with San Miguel Corp. and Smart, will also have continental teams Terengganu (Malaysia), CCN (Taiwan), Synergy Cycling Project (Azerbaijan), Polygon Sweet Nice  (Ireland) and OCBC Cycling (Singapore).

Continental teams 7-Eleven/Road Bike and LBC-MVPSF Cycling Pilipinas are excited to race with the foreign opposition along with local clubs American Vinyl and the two Philippine Navy Standard Insurance teams.

Stage 2 is relatively flat but energy-sapping 196 km ride from Aparri to Cauayan, Isabela.