Asked by this writer as takeaways during the first quarter briefing of PLDT, Pangilinan said that the TOL will be gradually expanded to other Luzon areas then onwards to Visayas and Mindanao, making it a national cycling event. The TOL was staged by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, a subsidiary of the MVP Group.
“We would hope to expand the Tour of Luzon to include Visayas and Mindanao so we have to do this thing gradually,” Pangilinan said.
“This year’s event was only about a little over a thousand kilometers starting from Ilocos Norte down to Clark. Next year, we should include Bicol to Manila, Central Luzon then up north (regions),” he added.
From the cycling event that has revived interests in competitive cycling, he hopes to produce a Filipino athlete or a Philippine team that will participate in the prestigious Tour De France.
“As to our participation in Tour De France, yes our goal is to have one or two Filipino bikers to join TDF maybe next year, maybe 2027. That’s our goal,” he said.
For his part, TOL Executive Director Arrey Perez said that the sporting event is “in line with promoting cycling as a major sport in the Philippines given its inclusivity and finding the best talents in the country who will compete at the TDF.”
Aside from having three teams in the PBA, Pangilinan supports various sports such as boxing, rowing, volleyball and badminton. He has also extended assistance in the development of Olympic gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting and Carlos Yulo in gymnastics.
With its revival, TOL is now considered one of the most successful sporting events in the Philippines in recent history.
