THE Manila Sports Council launches its programs for the year
by staging the opening leg of the 2008 Hitachi National Criterium Grand Prix on
Sunday around the Rizal Park area.
"We realize that cycling is a mass sport and what better way
to kick off our sports programs by hosting the first leg of this popular
circuit races," said MASCO chief Nino de la Cruz during the PSA forum yesterday
at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch in Manila.
De la Cruz said the Hitachi-sponsored event has the full
backing of the Manila city government of Mayor Alfredo Lim and the Filipino
Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation led by its president, Edward Lim.
"We have a very sports conscious mayor and we would like to
thank the Filipino-Chinese federation for supporting our sports programs
beginning with this cycling event," he said.
Joining him in the session also sponsored by Pagcor was
tournament director Noel Baltazar, who announced that cycling’s top guns such
as Victor Espiritu, Warren Davadilla and Lloyd Lucien Reynante are competing in
the one-day bikefest.
"Victor, Warren and Lloyd are all competing in the Elite
Open. We also have a combined Executive Masters race plus two categories
organized by the Fil-Chi federation," Baltazar said.
He added the criterium competitions jointly organized with
Pro Ads Concepts Marketing Inc. will be raced around a 2.4-kilometer course
starting and ending at Maria Orosa Street early Sunday morning and ending
around noontime.
De la Cruz said the cycling event is one way to draw the attention to the
different sports activities and events organized by MASCO.
