BY ALDRIN QUINTO
BAGUIO — Coach Renato Dolosa asked Irish Valenzuela to focus on "legitimate"
team play and the rising star responded by dishing out a sterling performance to
take the individual crown and tow his squad to the team title Sunday in the
Liquigaz Race to the Lion’s Head here.
Valenzuela, the top rookie of the 2006 Padyak Pinoy and third
place overall last year, made a bold solo move at the base of Kennon Road and
charged clear of the pack with less than 20 kilometers to the finish line.
Valenzuela finished the 247-kilometer race that started at
the Quezon City Circle and ended in front of Burnham Park here in six hours, 47
minutes and 57 seconds, way ahead of Renier Clauna, who crossed the finish line
one minute and 33 seconds later. Veteran Joel Calderon was third in 6:49:43.
"Nung naka-una na ako, hindi ko na pinakawalan," said
Valenzuela, third placer in the Asian category of the Tour of Thailand last year
and a prospect of an Indonesian Continental team. "Hindi ko na pinabayaan kasi
gusto kong mag-champion talaga."
It was a victory the young Turk, who turned 21 just last
month, credited to his mentor and friend Dolosa, the charismatic two-time Tour
champion who has guided him well the past five years.
"Kung hindi dahil sa kanya, hindi ako makakarating kung
nasaan ako ngayon. Hindi ako makakarating sa paroroonan ko," said Valenzuela,
his voice cracking, tears welling in his eyes. "Unang-una pa lang, siya na ‘yung
nag-train sa akin. Sabi niya, itong laro na ito, pag-igihan ko. Para sa kanila,
sa pamilya ko, itong panalo."
Before the race, Dolosa, champion of the multi-stage summer
bikathon in 1992 and 1995, asked Valenzuela to rely more on his teammates than
on the other veteran riders in the field.
"Sabi ko sa kanya, iwas-iwasan ‘yung mga usapan sa mga grupo,
‘yung mga kasangga. Dahil kapag ganun, ‘yung lakas mo, hindi mo mailalabas, kasi
siyempre gusto mo, tumulong na lang sa iba," said Dolosa, who also fought back
tears when asked to describe his working relationship with his ward.
"Parang anak ko na ‘yan," he said, although he admitted he
did not like the strategy employed by Valenzuela in recent races such as the
Subic Masters.
"Sabi ko sa kanya, itong Baguio race, ipakita mo na hindi mo
kailangan ng tulong ng iba. Ang sabi ko ang tangi lang niya dapat katulong ay
‘yung mga teammates niya. Para ‘yung takbo ng team, deretso. Hindi yung
nakikipag-usap sila sa ibang team, dapat maalis ‘yun."
Valenzuela willingly obliged. Instead of forming alliances
with veteran riders, he relied on his skills and staying power derived from
religious practice and hard work.
"Hangga’t hindi ako naka-karating sa finish line, hindi ko
iniisip na panalo na ako," said Valenzuela, who bagged P10,000 plus P5,000 for
claiming the King of the Mountain title. His team clocked the day’s best of 27
hours, 30 minutes and 56 seconds to win the P75,000 prize.
Merculio Ramos squad timed 28:26:38.14 to clinch second place
while Lito Atilano led his squad to third place in 28:29:34.36.
Valenzuela stayed with the peloton when a small pack of
riders made an early move in Bulacan and got his chance on the final stretch
leading up to the ascent. He led by some 150 meters with 15 kilometers left and
extended it with just 12 kilometers left in the race Bankrolled by Liquigaz
Philippines Corp.
"Parang hindi ko na rin nga kayang tapusin, kulang sa
preparasyon," said former Tour champion and King of the Mountain Warren
Davadilla, who opened a bike shop recently in Malanday. He finished outside the
top 30 in a field of 96.
"Si Irish, hindi naman nakakapagtaka na siya ang manalo dito.
Dati nang magaling, bata pa, atsaka pursigido talaga sa ensayo," said Davadilla.
None of the veteran multi-stage riders came close to clinching a podium spot,
with Sembrano placing seventh overall, more than five minutes off the pace.
Ericson obosa was ninth, Ramos 10th, Baler Ravina was 12th, Lito Atilano 13th
while Arnel Quirimit and last year’s Tour champion Victor Espiritu placed 17th
and 20th, respectively.
