MANILA, Philippines – Unfavorable road conditions, brought by water pipe repairs and heavy traffic congestion, forced organizers to call off the opening stage of the Le Tour de Filipinas on Sunday.

What was expected to be a relatively flat 157.15-kilometer cruise from Liwasang Aurora at the Quezon City Memorial Circle in Quezon City encountered several restarts due to pipe repairs in Valenzuela and Marilao in Bulacan, then came to a shuddering halt near the halfway mark at the Plazang Luma in Arayat, Pampanga because of an unexpected gridlock.

"The race was stopped for one reason: unmanageable traffic, which was rather surprising on a Sunday morning," lamented Commissaire 4 Jun Lumibao, who monitored the situation closely with Chief Commissaire Louise Jones from Australia.

"The organizers made several trips here, around four to five times, on a Sunday morning to test the traffic," Lumibao explained.

"But after five neutralizations, the chief commissaire decided to stop the race."

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Thus, the annual road race will start on Monday with Stage 2 from Cabanatuan City to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya through Dalton Pass.

Nonetheless, the caravan – bannered by 79 riders from 16 local and foreign teams – was still warmly welcomed by a crowd in Nueva Ecija, which included Palayan City Mayor Rianne Cuevas during the mass finish at the Plaza Concepcion.

The riders, including 29 of the country's top guns, have no choice but to move on as they gear up for another tough test on Monday, a 157.9-kilometer Stage 2 trek from Cabanatuan City to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya via Dalton Pass which offers a pair of Category 2 and 4 climb challenges.

"Nakakapanghinayang pero okay lang 'yun kasi para sa safety naman ng lahat," said veteran Team Bike Extreme rider Cris Joven, who formed a three-man breakaway group with compatriot Juan Barrios of Team CCN and Korean Jang Jiung of Korail Cycling Team, before the race was finally stopped at the 71.08-km mark.

Joven, 31, back in the only International Cycling Union-sanctioned bikathon in the country after five years, admitted that he can put his encouraging start to good use in his bid to stay in the hunt.

"Makakadagdag 'to ng kumpyansa sa Stage 2 kasi para sa akin ngayon lang ulit ako nakapagkarera sa Le Tour," said the Iriga City native. "Diskarte lang muna kasi hindi naman lahat ng karera, lakas sa lakas. ‘Yung diskarte, hindi nauubos pero ‘yung lakas nauubos."

Stage 2 will cover 157.90 kilometers while Tuesday's Stage 3 will the longest at 185.20 kilometers from Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, to Lingayen, Pangasinan.

But attention will be on Stage 4 when the race traverses Kennon Road where a Hors Category climb awaits the riders.

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