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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Foreign squads spice up Tour of Luzon revival

Foreign squads spice up Tour of Luzon revival

Published Mar 22, 2025 06:57 am

At A Glance

  • Five foreign and 12 local squads for a total of 17 teams and the Tour of Luzon (ToL) 2025 is overachieving its slogan "The Great Revival."

Five foreign and 12 local squads for a total of 17 teams and the Tour of Luzon (ToL) 2025 is overachieving its slogan “The Great Revival.”

And no less than Victorico “Ricky” P. Vargas, Director of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), expressed elation over the return of the fabled Tour of Luzon—the “Summer Spectacle on Wheels” that featured the most grizzled, strongest and courageous Filipino road cyclists.

“The MVP Group recognizes the vision of this elite multi-stage cycling race,” Vargas told the ToL’s Northern Luzon launch on Saturday, March 22, at the John Hay Hotels (formerly The Manor and Forest Lodge). “We will cut no corners in activating all our resources to make sure its revival is mounted as envisioned—in a manner worthy of the memory and legacy of our dear friend, Bert Lina.”

Lina, founder of top logistics company Air21, was known as the “godfather” of cycling after having first revived the tour in 2002 after a four-year lull when Marlboro couldn’t anymore continue sponsoring the race in 1998 following the strict implementation of anti-tobacco regulations.

Lina passed early this month leaving behind a legacy in business and sports highlighted by his love of cycling that saw the staging of the ToL forerunners Tour of Calabarzon, Golden Tour, Padyak Pinoy and the UCI race Le Tour de Filipinas.

The ToL kicks off April 24 in Paoay in Ilocos Norte and concludes in Camp John Hay in Baguio City covering 64 cities and municipalities in six provinces in the Ilocos Region and Central Luzon.

Arrey A. Perez, Executive Director of the ToL and Chief Regulatory Officer of the

MPTC—co-organizer of the race with DuckWorld PH—bordered on hailing the Philippine cycling tradition to involving an active immersion of local government units (LGUs) in cycling.

“We are committed to working closely with our regional partners to ensure the quality, safety and vibrancy of the race for all participants and spectators,” Perez said. “This is a prime opportunity to strengthen our alignments in community development and nation-building.”

The MPTC, DuckWorld PH and Cignal signed a memorandum of agreement during the launch aimed at enhancing collaboration in organizing, promoting and broadcasting the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2025 to bring the fabled cycling race to millions of viewers this summer.

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