European-based teams Arbo KTM Junkers (Germany), Bordeaux (France), CTK (Switzerland), Power Move (Switzerland) and AC Sparta Pharma (Czech Republic) have written race organizer Dynamic Outsource Solutions Inc. (DOS-1)-Padyak Pinoy about their enthusiasm to join the LTDF, which hits the road from April 17 to 20.
Medscheme/CPI of South Africa and Prime State of Australia have also sent their intentions to participate in the race consisting of a 145-km Tagaytay-Tagaytay Stage 1, 60-km Roxas Boulevard Stage 2, 135-km Quezon City-Subic Stage 3 and 140-km Subic-Subic Stage 4. All are massed start races.
The Asian teams refused to be left out, according to Dos-1 president and Padyak Pinoy chairman Edgardo Cayton.
Cayton said powerhouse teams from Iran (Vali Asr Kerman), Japan (Shimano), Chinese Taipei (Giant Asia Racing Team), Singapore (OCBC) and Hong Kong (Collosi) have also shown their interest to vie in the race that would feature at least 10 local teams composed of the best and the brightest in Philippine cycling.
The LTDF, presented by Tanduay with Smart and Air21 as principal backers, is part of the Asia Tour calendar of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for cycling.
The UCI has more than generously granted Dos-1/Padyak Pinoy the license to stage a four-day race, a rare opportunity given UCI member- countries. The UCI last sanctioned a Philippine race, but that was 10 years ago—the Marlboro Tour.
Bert Lina, the former PhilCycling president, was impressed with the enthusiasm shown by the foreign teams on the LTDF. “This only goes to show that the Philippines offers an attraction in the eyes of the world cycling community. And this would give the Filipino cyclists the chance to compete in an international arena in their own country.”
Source: Unknown Author | BusinessMirror.com.ph
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