A champion’s purse of P100,000 out of the total cash pot of P870,000 awaits the winner of the Baguio-Tagaytay PhilCycling Classic — the longest road race ever in the country at 292 kms — which flags off on Monday from Camp John Hay and finishes along Crisanto de los Reyes Avenue right in front of the brand-new Tagaytay City Velodrome.

“It’s a race of speed, endurance and everything an elite cyclist has in his arsenal,” said Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Integrated Cycling Federation (PhilCycling) and mayor of Tagaytay City — organizers of the classic that features the top 30 finishers in the Tour of Luzon: The Great Revival last summer.

Second place is worth P75,000 and third place P70,000 while the last-place finisher will bring home a consolation P5,000 in the classic that will be raced in collaboration with the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. of Manuel V. Pangilinan and San Miguel Corp. Infrastructure of Ramon S. Ang.

The classic marks the first time in Philippine cycling history that a race will be conducted over the major expressways like TPLEX, SCTEX, NLEX, Skyway, SLEX and CALLAX and over the Cavite East West Lateral Road that will finish in front of the International Cycling Union-standard, 250-meter and wooden indoor Tagaytay City Velodrome.

The 10 sprints along the expressways will offer P10,000 to whoever crosses first for an added total P100,000 bonus in the event that is part of the combined celebration of the Olympic Day, World Bicycle Day, velodrome inauguration and Tagaytay City’s 87th Charter Day anniversary this Saturday.