The Red Baron’s 10-Miler ITT

According to Wikipedia, Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was the most successful World War I fighter pilot, officially credited with 80 confirmed kills. The German fighter pilot was also known as “The Red Baron”. Unfortuantely, he died in 1918 in a dogfight after being shot fatally in the chest by a Canadian Ace, Arthur Roy Brown of the British Royal Air Force.

The local version of the Red Baron isn’t even a pilot. In fact, he rides and races bicycles for fun. Red Baron is just as his username. He’s real name is Larry Stahlman and he works as a consultant for LEXMARK in the Research and Development Department. Larry, a spry 62-year old is a native of the Bluegrass State. His wife, who I met during the last TT race we had last December and whose name I missed, is a music teacher at the University of Kentucky.

I don’t think Larry was really able to immersed himself with our ways as LEXMARK is always very concerned about his security.  But I guess he learned more about our culture after joining a couple of TT races that was sponsored by Nobby Clarke last year. That’s why after taking a short breather back home, he is back and will be sponsoring an other 10-Miler (16km) this March 9, 2008. 

So dust off your TT rigs out there and be there at Km 48 in Catmon. There’s no registration for this one but there will be no onsite registration. You can register at www.cebucycling.com and please do so as soon as you can as the race will be limited to 60 riders only.

Finally, all participantns are invited for a post race party at HUNAHUNA Bearch Resort. Just be ready though, Red Baron hopes to shoot down a few riders in this race.

The Philcycling Mess And The 2008 Padyak Pinoy

Last month, members of the RP Cycling Team petitioned for the ouster of their coach. Instead of investigating the petition, PC responded by sacking everybody on the team except themselves.

Then last week, right at the heels of the PC problem, Padyak Pinoy organizers announced that the 2008 race will held on May 1-8. Making the race sweeter to the ears of everybody was the potential participation teams from Indonesia, Denmark, Australia and Switzerland.

However, the timing of the announcement smelled. Based on the information I got before the announcement, PP was supposed to be uncertain this year due to financial reasons. Besides, it is election year at PC.

Also, at this time of the year, the rider elimination was already done and there already is a roster for PP but until today, there is none. In other words, the only PP race that is happening is in the webpage of PP (www.padyakpinoy.com) and not on the “strada”.

So you ask, “What has the PC problem got to do with PP?” If you haven’t been listening, businessman Bert Lina is the man running both entities- as PC president and as one of the major sponsors (Air21) of PP.  That’s why I think the PP announcement stinks more than all the fish in Pasil. That’s why I think its all just smokes and mirrors to deflect us from the real problem. That’s why I think that Bert Lina should say something about this problem. If not, I hope that the PSC will get into the bottom of this problem ASAP.

Cebu Inter-City Cycling and the TOUR OF CEBU

If the reports are true, then we’d have surplus of bicycle racing starting March. Teams like Naga Potters, Cebu Nino’s, Talisay Fishers- reminded me of the defunct MBA, not cycling. But knowing the event organizer’s penchant for postponing his events, I won’t be surprised that this race will be held in 2012.

The same event organizer also said that the Tour of Cebu will be held this August to commemorate the Founding Anniversary of Cebu Province. Only problem is that a Capitol insider I talked to said he doesn’t know about it. (As I’m writing this, I can hear the CSI soundtrack by the Who)

Make no mistake, I want this race to push through but until the firing gun goes off, I’m an unbeliever.

And finally, Roger Clemen’s appearance before the Senate about his alleged use of steroids and HGH reminded me of Jun Lozada and our Senate-a circus.