Local bets get a taste of foreign opposition as the highly anticipated Tour of Luzon hits the road next month, giving riders the summertime challenge that will only get more exciting with a mountaintop finish at the Camp John Hay.

Organized by PhilCycling with the strong support of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, DuckWorld PH, and Philippine Sports Commission, the Tour of Luzon returns with an 8-stage bikefest that will feature stops from Laoag, Vigan, Agoo, Clark, Lingayen, and Baguio City, with the total distance spanning 1,050 kilometers from April 23 to May 1.

“Summer won’t be the same again,” sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan said on Friday, March 7.

“Cycling is all about speed, determination and the courage to conquer the elements, much in the same way as what we do in business,” Pangilinan said. “Business is like cycling, you train your body and prepare your mind, you set a goal to be ahead of the rest at the finish line—but in between you face all sorts of challenges.”

Fifteen teams have confirmed participation, with UCI continental teams 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines, Standard Insurance Philippines, Victoria Cycling Team and Go For Gold Cycling Team leading the pack.

Foreign squads from Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand are also joining the competition to bring spice to an already talent-laden field

Other teams include Philippine Army, Excellent Noodles, D’Reyna, Dandex Multi-Sports, and MPT DriveHub or ETC.

The prize pool is pegged at P1.5 million.

The Tour of Luzon is one of Asia’s oldest and most challenging cycling races since its inception in 1955, which pedaled annually until 1998.

The summer spectacle on two wheels was revived in 2002 after a four-year hiatus and continued as Le Tour de Filipinas prior to the pandemic in 2020 when it was shelved anew.