Jonel Carcueva. | Photo from Carcueva’s Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some of Cebu’s top and rising elite cyclists are gearing up to compete in the much-anticipated eight-stage Tour of Luzon, dubbed “The Great Revival,” set to unfold from April 24 to May 1 in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
Leading the charge is three-time PhilCycling National Champion Jonel Carcueva, who will ride alongside his brother, Junreck, for the powerhouse MPT Drivehub Cycling Team. Their younger brother, Jhon Carcueva, will also take part, representing 1 Team Visayas together with fellow Cebuano riders Riquelle Duque, Roy Carbonera, Cedric Cabahug, and Junel Marte.
This year marks the return of the Tour of Luzon after a long hiatus since its inaugural Manila-to-Vigan race in 1956. The revived edition will span seven provinces across Northern and Central Luzon, culminating in a grueling mountain-top finish inside Camp John Hay in Baguio City. The race is organized by Patrick “Patò” Gregorio, president of DuckWorld PH, in collaboration with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and Cignal TV.
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Sanctioned by PhilCycling, the event offers a P1-million cash prize and a year’s custody of the Tour of Luzon perpetual trophy to the team champion. The overall individual winner will also take home P500,000 and a uniquely designed trophy.
TOUR OF LUZON
Covering a total distance of 1,074.90 kilometers, the eight-stage race begins with a 190.70-kilometer loop from Paoay via Pagudpud on April 24. This will be followed by a 68.39-kilometer team time trial from Paoay to Vigan on April 25, then a 130.33-kilometer stretch from Vigan to San Juan, La Union on April 26.
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Stage 4 spans 162.97 kilometers from Agoo to Clark, followed by Stage 5’s 166.65-kilometer route around Clark via New Clark City and Tarlac.
Riders will then tackle the 168.19-kilometer Stage 6 from Clark to Lingayen, followed by a 15.14-kilometer individual time trial from Labrador to Lingayen on April 30.
The final stage, set on May 1, covers 172.53 kilometers from Lingayen to a punishing climb to Scout Hill inside Camp John Hay. This queen stage is expected to be the ultimate decider in crowning the race’s champions. The event is part of the MVP Group’s broader advocacy, led by sports patron Manny Pangilinan, to promote sports across all levels and disciplines.
FOREIGN SQUADS
Adding international flavor to the competition are foreign squads such as CCN Factory HK from Hong Kong, Malaysia Pro Cycling, Bryton Racing Team from Taiwan, and the Gapyeong Cycling Team from South Korea.
They will go head-to-head with top Philippine-based teams including MPT Drivehub, 1 Team Visayas, 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines, Standard Insurance Philippines, Go For Gold Philippines, Victoria Sports Pro Cycling, and Tom N Toms Coffee. Also in the mix are leading local clubs like Excellent Noodles, DReyna Orion Cement, Dandez T-Prime Cycling Team, Exodus Army, One Cycling Mindanao, and Team Pangasinan.