Great Revival underway: 1,075-kilometer Tour of Luzon kicks off in Paoay, Ilocos Norte

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

After 23 years on the shelf, the legendary cycling event Tour of Luzon finally celebrates its revival at Paoay, Ilocos Norte, kicking off with a 190-kilometer opening leg

PAOAY, Philippines – For the first time in 23 years, the legendary cycling event Tour of Luzon returns to the scorching roads of the Philippines up north — a 1,074.90-kilometer odyssey kicking off at Paoay, Ilocos Norte on Thursday, April 24.

Immediately the longest leg of the eight-stage tour, the opening Paoay race takes a scenic, 190.70-kilometer route to the Luzon mainland’s northernmost points before heading back to where the path started after going on a loop at Pagudpud.

A lot of surprises are in store for the 17-team, 119-cyclist collective of this year’s historic revival staging, but some names to watch at the head of the peloton are Southeast Asian (SEA) Games medalists Ronald Oranza and Jan Paul Morales – both bronze winners in the 2023 Cambodia edition.

Also joining the pair in the stacked Standard Insurance Philippines team are George Oconer and Junrey Navarra, all vying to win the first multi-stage cycling event in the Philippines since the 2019 Le Tour de Filipinas and the succeeding pandemic that shuttered all future editions until today.

The future of Philippine cycling is also on display as the Steven Tablizo-led Philippine U23 national team pedals under the Tom ‘N Toms Coffee banner, set to compete alongside the grizzled veterans of the sport.

Former national road champion Marcelo Felipe and time trial king Nichol Pareja are also a pair to watch under the Victoria Sports Pro Cycling team to highlight just some of the contenders vying for a P500,000 individual overall winner prize and a P1 million overall team champion pot.

“We’re humbled and honored to have you here in Ilocos Norte. To our 17 different teams who are here, we welcome you here. We hope you will enjoy your stay,” said Ilocos Norte governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc.

“I’m not sure what inspires you to ride these many hours and miles under the sun, but we pray for your safety and your success in this Tour of Luzon.”

Manotoc, Paoay Mayor Shiella Galano, Philippine Olympic Committtee (POC) and PhilCycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and DuckWorld PH president and lead organizer Patrick “Pato” Gregorio were among the dignitaries present at the opening ceremony in front of the famed UNESCO World Heritage Site, Paoay Church. – Rappler.com