RP cyclists vie for honors in Tour de Indonesia

Filipino cyclists led by 2009 Tour of Luzon champion John Mark Guevarra leave for Jakarta on Friday to compete in the Tour de Indonesia 2009 from November 22- December 2. Joining Guevarra in the Road Bike Philippines-7 Eleven team are 2009 Tour of Luzon Sprint King Sherwin Diamsay and RBP rider Tomas Martinez along with two-time Tour champion Victor Espiritu and 2009 Tour of Luzon and Padyak Pinoy runner-up Lloyd Lucien Reynante. “Mas mataas ang expectation ko ngayon sa team na ito with Victor and Lloyd around dahil sa mas malawak nilang experience sa international scene," said team official Bong Sual. Sual said that they enlisted the veteran Espiritu and Reynante for this campaign not only to boost the team’s chances but also to help the two riders as they gear up for next month’s 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos. RBP-7-11 coach Rhynne Manlapaz, meanwhile, said the riders are better prepared for battle than they were when they competed in the Perlis Open Tour in Malaysia and Tour de East Java last July and August. “Hindi ko masasabi kung ano ang tsansa namin ngayon kasi alam naman natin na malalakas yung kalaban, mostly mga national team din ng ibang bansa yung mga kasali doon. Pero sa ginawa naming training talagang nagkaisa at nagtulungan yung team at nangangako kaming gagawin ang lahat," Manlapaz said, noting the riders’ significant improvements since the two previous competitions. Aside from RBP, another team from the Philippines, the American Vinyl under two-time RP Tour champion Renato Dolosa, will also see action in the 11-day bikefest. - GMANews.TV