In this stage, the men would be separated from the boys.

Cycling has become very popular in the 1st district of Batangas these past few years.

As one prominent business executive said, the sport has made “the roads of Nasugbu all the way to Taal and every town in between wide and cemented with some portions even asphalted.”

When my father-in law in Gen. Eduardo Ermita became congressman of the 1st district, he focussed all his congressional projects on improving the road conditions. He was in office from 1992 to 2001 and the difference when his term ended was quite significant.

When I bought my first car in 1989, I drove it all the way to Matabungkay. I was really disappointed with all the potholes and rough roads that took me almost four hours to traverse.

That’s why when my wife, Eileen, won the congressional election in 2001, she emphasized on improving the road conditions in their district. And it was very visible nowadays as the roads are now four lanes with asphalted middle lanes from Tagaytay City all the way to the edge of Taal, Batangas.

This development definitely improved the lives of her constituents and contributed to the development of commerce in the district. In fact, factories and other businesses have now entered the district, providing the people with thousands of jobs and other opportunities.

As I’ve said, the presence of good roads makes cycling very popular in our district.

Local cyclists, some coming from as far as Metro Manila, troop to Batangas to traverse over a hundred kilometers of smooth ride back and fourth while enjoying the scenery and fresh air along the way.

With that, a lot of cycling events were conducted, including the Tour of Matabungkay (TOM).

The TOM, as we cyclists fondly call it, is a cycling event that has attracted around 500 cyclists from around the country. It is set to start today, 4 October, and will go on for three days divided into four stages and would cover a total distance of 350 kilometers.

Stage 1 is a 40-kilometer individual time trial that attracted a lot triathletes as well as it allows them to test their readiness for their upcoming standard distance triathlon events.

It will start in Matabungkay, which is just a barangay in the town of Lian. From there, they will traverse the town of Balayan and back to Lian. What makes this route more exciting is the presence of two climbs where they can test their resolve.

Stage 2, on the other hand, is a 95-kilometer circuit race that will take riders from Lian to Nasugbu via the Azucarera de Don Pedro up to the wide-open roads of Tuy and Balayan. The race will pass the bypass road twice before going back to Lian. It is predominantly a rolling terrain with minor climbs, especially in Tuy and Balayan.

Stage 3 is the longest of the four stages.

It requires riders to finish 127 kilometers that will truly test their resolve because it covers the dreaded barangay Cahil drive in the town of Calaca. The elevation in this climb can easily pass the 15 percent gradient at some points from the bottom all the way to the hardest end part, which can easily break the spirits of the riders since it is quite a long ride of almost 20 kilometers.

In this stage, the men would be separated from the boys.

And finally, the last stage is the traditional TOM route of 88 kilometers known as the “Payapa Stage.”

It refers to the old name of the Diokno Highway, which covers the town of Lemery up to the boundary of Tagaytay and Nasugbu. It is a scenic 20-kilometer climb made up of zigzag roads with an average gradient of 8 percent.

To celebrate the courageous riders, there would be an awards dinner at the Matabungkay Beach Club every night, where all riders will come together to share their stories about triumphs and challenges of the day.

I am proud to say that the road improvement projects in the 1st district of Batangas that my father-in-law started and carried on by wife has contributed to the improvement of the lives of the people and benefitted their health, provided jobs, developed commerce and elevated tourism, which is what the TOM brings.

After another year of dieting and thousands of training kilometers for the TOM, at last the day of reckoning has arrived.

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable ride.