MANILA - The 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas kicks off April 14 to 17 in Sta. Ana, Cagayan and winds up at the Burnham Park in Baguio City.
This year’s edition of the multi-stage road cycling summer spectacle will culminate in an unfamiliar but extremely more challenging stage, passing through what is called the “Northern Alps,” a mountain-top ride on the Cordilleras approaching the summer capital.
Three treacherous climbs not lower than 5,000 feet will test cyclists from 10 international teams from Europe, Asia and five from the Philippines.
“The first three stages of the four-stage international race are a sprinters’ paradise, but come the ‘Northern Alps,’ the complexion of the race drastically and dramatically changes. This is where you separate the men from the boys,” said Dos-1 president and race organizer Gary Cayton.
Stage One will start in Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, with Cagayan Rep. Jackie Enrile flagging off the riders to their destination 155 kilometers away in Tuguegarao City. Stage Two will cover 110 kilometers from Tuguegarao to Cauayan City, while Stage Three will be a short 102-km ride to Bayombong, enough to prepare the riders for the treacherous 153-km race to Baguio City the next day.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 08, 2012.
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