Once again, LBC Hari ng Padala brings the biggest cycling spectacle of the decade as it gives us the 2nd LBC Ronda Pilipinas, which will officially kick off on May 23, 2012. Now with bigger prizes and a longer route that will take the riders on a 20-day journey through most of the Pan Philippine Highway, from Sarangani in Mindanao to Northern Luzon and back to Manila.
This years event sponsored anew by the LBC Express Inc., the country’s leading courier firm, will have four stops in Mindanao, two in the Visayas and nine in Luzon, from the Bicol Region to Southern Tagalog, and from the metropolis to Central and Northern Luzon.
The riders will then drive back to Manila in their final push for glory at the end of a 2,000km race against the elements for the coronation of the 2012 individual champion who will receive P1million in cash, the team winner which will earn another P1 million and other individual and team placers who will receive their share of the total cash pot of over P7.5 million.
With the prizes up from P7 million the previous year and a route three stages more than last year, organizers expect more intense competition, making last year’s champion Santi Barnachea a marked man, given the eight-month preparation of top contenders who started road work after a brief respite from the October 2011 tour.
For the 2012 LBC Ronda there are 16 competing teams from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao as well as other commercial squads aside from defending champion American Vinyl and 7-Eleven and our very own Y101FM.com Cebu Team!
Official line-up and entourage:
1. Rameses Urgel ------ Team Manager
2. Jaybop Pagnanawon ------ Team Captain/Cyclist
3. Nino Surban ------ Cyclist
4. Marvin Tapic ------ Cyclist
5. Albert Basirgo ------ Cyclist
6. Marvin Tapic ------ Cyclist
7. Elmer Navarro ------ Cyclist
The first four stages will be held in Mindanao starting with the opening stage in General Santos City all the way to Kiamba and back. Stage 2 will take the Gen. Santos-Davao City route, Stage 3 will be from Tagum to Butuan and Stage 4 from Butuan to Surigao. The Visayas tour will take the riders from Ormoc to Tacloban (Stage 5) and Tacloban to Calbayog (Stage 6). The remaining nine stages will be a Tour of Luzon, from the Bicol Region to Southern Tagalog, National Capital Region all the way up to Central Luzon and Baguio in Northern Luzon and back to NCR. The routes covered are Legaspi to Naga (Stage 7), Daet to Lucena (Stage 8), Lucena to Antipolo (Stage 9), San Fernando, Pampanga to Cabanatuan, (Stage 10), Cabanatuan to Lingayen (Stage 11), Lingayen to Baguio (Stage 12), another time trial in Baguio (Stage 13), San Fernando, La Union to Tarlac (Stage 14) and Valenzuela to Manila (Stage 15) on June 10.
