Larrazabal bike fest kicks off Oct. 24 to 27

OVER a thousand cycling enthusiasts are expected to join the 2013 Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival slated from Oct. 24 to 27 in Ormoc City.

The event, first held in 2002, will be highlighted by the Tour de Larrazabal, a three-day, four-stage race consisting of a time trial (5 km), road race (90 km), mountain stage (140 km) and criterium (2 km loop).

Except for the Tour de Larrazabal, which is limited to 200 entries, the other races—youth (14-17 years), juniors (18-23), seniors (23-29), masters 1 (30-39), masters 2 (40-above) and women’s (open)—are open to everyone.

In the mountain bike class, there will be a cross-country race, single-speed cross country, 27.5 and 29 km cross country and a downhill competition.

There will also be a beer run, where after a short cross-country race, the top participants must finish two bottles of beer before being declared winners.

Former Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said the bikefest is in honor of his father, a sugar planter and former mayor of Ormoc. The elder Larrazabal died in 1999.

“In this race everybody becomes part of one big family,” said Larrazabal during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Registration is ongoing.