ROOKIE TAKES MARLBORO CENTENNIAL TOUR OPENER
Cebu City, April 17, 1998 - A rookie from Mindanao claimed the leader's yellow jersey Wednesday on the opening day's 3.9-kilometer individual time trial race of the Marlboro Centennial Tour.
Virgilio Durain, a jobless 29-year-old member of the national biking team, timed five minutes, 2.68 seconds or 27 second ahead of second placer Tang Xuezhong of China.
Eighty four riders, including 30 foreigners, were flagged off as the Tour began in Cebu City, causing a terrible traffic jam.
Third placer was Malaysia's Murugayan Kumarasen, followed by Xiao Yechen (China), 1996 champion Victor Espiritu (RP), Pan Guangchum (China), Iijima Makoto (Japan), Hamad Mohd Mahazir (Malaysia), Tonton Susanto (Indonesia) and Norberto Oconer (RP).
The first lap Thursday, April 16, is a 190-km trek which starts at the Magellan's Cross, straight to the town of Bogo, then back to Cebu City's finish line in front of the Capitol Building.
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