PARTYING CHAMP MISSES FLIGHT TO DEFEND ASIAN TITLE
Manila, May 9, 1998 - The Asian Mountain Bike champion, Filipino Placido Valdez, is not in Beijing to defend his title. The reason? He was up till dawn celebrating his fifth-place victory in the Marlboro Centennial Tour and more than P300,000 in prize money, checked into a motel and forgot to tell the roomboy to give him a wake up call for his 7 a.m. flight to China.
Valdez, described as a perennial Marlboro Tour contender who never got past second place, arrived four hours late for his trip to China and lost his chance to defend his title as well as his place as the top cyclist of the Philippine team.
Another result of his late-night partying: the Philippine Amateur Cycling Association may ask the Games and Amusements Board to revoke his professional license, disqualifying him from future Marlboro Tour races and other regional cycling meets.
Valdez dabbled in mountain biking two years ago between Marlboro Tour competitions and has become the country's top rider in the event since.
He entered many regional competitions last year and was one of the winners in last December's Philippine National Games in Cebu.
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