LEGAZPI CITY -- Organizers of Le Tour de Filipinas, who chose the nearly perfect cone-shaped Mayon Volcano here as backdrop of the 10th edition of the professional road bicycle race, urged the youth to embrace and engaged in sports.
“We are inspiring them (youth) by doing sports activities like this, by showing them what is like and how it is done, we want to show them the excitement and engagement of this sport,” said Donna May Lina, president of Le Tour de Filipinas, in a press conference on Wednesday (May 23).
She said 75 cyclists, representing 11 foreign teams and four local clubs, will participate in the five-stage 2019 Le Tour de Filipinas slated from June 14 to 18.
The foreign cycling teams with five riders each will come from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Iran.
On the other hand, the local teams representing the Philippines are 7-Eleven Cliqq AIR21 RBP; Go for Gold; Philippine National Team and Bike Extreme.
Lina said the Tagaytay City climb and the winding roads leading to and from Donsol will test the mettle of the 75 cyclists.
The race will kick off on June 14 with a short yet demanding 129.50-kilometer Stage 1 in Tagaytay City to be followed by 194.90-km Stage 2 from Pagbilao, Quezon to Deat, Camarines Norte on June 15; Stage 3’s 183.70-km stretch from Daet to Legazpi City on June 16; and, Stage 4’s 176-km race from Legazpi City via Sorsogon and Gubat and back to Albay on June 17.
The final stage covering 145.80-km race will be held on June 18 in Donsol, Sorsogon.
Lina said Legazpi City became a favorite site for Le Tour de Filipinas due its warm welcome, organized route and clean air.
“We want to elevate the level of race organizing and the level of engagement” she said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Noel Rosal expressed gratitude to the organizers for giving Legazpi City the opportunity to be exposed internationally.
"It will be an honor for us here in Legazpi, this time it will focus not only the rural areas of our provinces but will also showcase outskirts area in our provinces,” Rosal said. (PNA)
