BY NYARIKA DOMANAIS
ILOILO City – The city is gearing up for the Tour de Iloilo, an extensive 232-kilometer bicycle race, anticipated to attract over 100 participants from cities such as Cebu, Manila, and Bacolod.
The race will commence at Megaworld, weaving through towns including Pavia, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, and several others before concluding back at the starting point.
Lorena “Teesai” Demontaño-Blanco, race organizer from Team Iloilo, stated that rigorous safety measures are in place, with coordination across the towns involved.
“Each town will have an ambulance and traffic management in place to ensure the safety of the participants. Additionally, there will be roaming Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and motor ambulances during the race,” she explained.
To further ensure safety, the race will feature controlled support for riders.
“While we allow support for each rider, it’s limited to ensure that the riders can perform well and safely,” Demontaño-Blanco added.
Registration for the event is open until July 17, available online on the Iloilo Bike Festival page, and onsite at K-town Megaworld.
Participants are required to provide a UCI ID, an original birth certificate, and a valid ID such as a national ID, driver’s license, or PRC ID.
The Iloilo Bike Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary under the theme “Cycle for Change”, aims to set a Guinness World Record for the largest human image of a bicycle, with 5,000 expected participants.
The festival will also include a two-day “Mega Criterium” closed circuit bike race at Megaworld, featuring road and mountain bike categories./PN
