Rosalinda L. Orosa (The Philippine Star) - November 3, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2015, the biggest cycling race in the Philippines and Asia, hits the road Feb. 8-27 next year starting in Butuan City down South, passing through the Visayas before ending in Baguio up North.

Now on its fifth staging, the nationwide bicycle road race for men will have three legs. The four-stage Mindanao leg and the four-stage Visayan leg will serve as a local qualifier for the six-stage Luzon leg where the best local teams face off with an expectedly strong contingent of foreign teams.

Ronda Pilipinas executive project director Moe Chulani said apart from a different format, this year’s edition will focus on discovering, tapping and developing young riders while progressing towards getting certification from the Union Cycliste International (UCI) to be part of the global racing calendar.

“This year, we’re requiring teams to recruit young riders because LBC and Ronda Pilipinas are one in helping the country’s grassroots development program because we know there are many untapped talents out there,” said Chulani. “Also, we’re looking to the future wherein Ronda Pilipinas will be a UCI-sanctioned race,” he added.

Teams in this year’s edition will be allowed to field in three officials and six cyclists, composed of at least one junior rider aged 17 to 18 years old, a minimum of two more who are in the Under-23 bracket and three who are aged 23 and above.

This year’s race, which is presented by LBC and major partner the MVP Sports Foundation, is sanctioned by PhilCycling headed by Tagaytay Rep.  Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. It  will cover 2,152 kilometers – 572 kms in Mindanao, 670 kms in the Visayas and 910 kms in Luzon.

A total of 10 local teams will start racing in Mindanao from Feb. 8-11 starting with the 195 km Butuan City-Cagayan de Oro City Stage 1, followed by the 132 km Malaybalay City-Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Stage 2, the 87 km Cagayan de Oro City-Iligan City Stage 3 and the 159 km Tubod, Lanao del Norte-Dipolog City Stage 4.

From there, the 370 strong entourage shifts to the Visayan leg in Negros Island from Feb. 15-18. Stage 1 is the 173 km Dumaguete City-Sipalay City, followed by the  164 km Sipalay City-Bacolod City Stage 2, the 213 km Bacolod-Bacolod Stage 3 via cities of La Carlota, Canlaon and San Carlos and the 120 km Bacolod-Cadiz City-Bacolod Stage 4.

The top local teams will then advance to the international part of the race where they will battle not just against each other but also with foreign squads racing in the  six-day leg from Feb. 22-27 unfurling with the 137 km Sta. Rosa City-Lucena City Stage 1, then with the 171 km Lucena,Quezon-Antipolo City via Mauban and Caliraya Stage 2, the 205 km Bocaue, Bulacan-Tarlac City Stage 3, the 152 km Tarlac-Dagupan City Stage 4 via Rosales, Paniqui and Camiling, the 155 km Dagupan-Baguio Stage 5 via Manaoag, Binalonan, Bauang and Naguilian and the culminating 90 km Baguio criterium.

Jack Yabut, the Ronda race administration director, said only the first 10 local teams to express their intent and pay the entry fee would be accommodated.

“It will be on a first come, first served basis,” said Yabut.

BACOLOD-BACOLOD STAGE BACOLOD-CADIZ CITY-BACOLOD STAGE BAUANG AND NAGUILIAN BUKIDNON STAGE CITY FEB MINDANAO RONDA PILIPINAS STAGE