The Tour of Luzon (TOL; also known as MPTC Tour of Luzon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Luzon, Philippines since 1955 as part of the UCI Asia Tour. It is held in April every year. While the course changes every year, the tour traditionally ends at Rizal Park, Manila, although recently the tour has ended in Baguio after being licensed by the UCI. Established as the Tour of Luzon, the stage race was previously known under various names including the Marlboro Tour, Tour of Calabarzon, Tour Pilipinas and Padyak Pinoy, and Le Tour de Filipinas.
The current iteration is organized by Duckworld PH and is sanctioned by the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling).
History 1955 – 1976: Tour of Luzon In 1955, the Tour was launched as a four-stage race from Manila to Vigan race won by Antonio Arzala. But, a year later, the race was renamed as the Tour of Luzon and carried the name until 1976 (there was no tour held in 1968, 1970–1972).
The prominent riders included two-time Tour champions Cornelio Padilla, Jr. of Central Luzon and Jose Sumalde of Bicol. However, in 1977, a rift within the PCAP (see below) led to a split of two tours during the said year. However, according to the Padyak Pinoy website, the event organized by Geruncio Lacuesta is recognized on their official list. The tour's name ended by 1978 as Marlboro entered the scene.
1979 – 1998: Marlboro Tour By 1979, Philip Morris became the official sponsor of the tour and the event was named as Marlboro Tour after its cigarette brand Marlboro, a name that is commonly familiar to ardent racers and fans. During these times, the tour expanded its routes, by including cities from Visayas in the leg, with the final laps regularly held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
From 1997-1998, the tour allowed riders from Asia to compete in the event and was sanctioned by the UCI. It also led to Wong Kam-po of Hong Kong to become the first non-Filipino to win the event in 1997, after overtaking 1996 winner Victor Espiritu for the lead in the latter stages.
The format used for the teams are based on provinces with the national team included in the race. It was also the same format when Asian riders participated in the event beginning in 1997.
The 1998 tour was known as the Marlboro Centennial Tour and was organized in line with the Philippine Centennial observances.
In 1999, Marlboro backed out as sponsor following a trend of discouraging tobacco sponsorship of sports events. In 2000, a race under the name Millenium Tour was attempted to be held in May but was cancelled due to budgetary concerns and inability to meet the standards set by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
2002 – 2007: Revival In 2002, the tour was revived after Airfreight 2100 of Bert Lina and Lito Alvarez financed the tour. A four-leg race was held in late-May known as Tour of CALABARZON won by Santy Barnachea. A year later, the tour was renamed as Tour Pilipinas, and held a 17-leg race, the longest since 1998. The tour was won by Arnel Quirimit of Pangasinan.
Ryan Tanguilig won in 2004 in a 10-stage tour. In 2005, the tour was renamed as the Golden Tour 50 @ 05, honoring the 50th anniversary of the Tour. 1998 champion Warren Davadilla, who won the last edition of the Marlboro, was the champion. In 2006, several disputes within the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines led to a short eight stage event dubbed with the Padyak Pinoy name, won by Barnachea.
Lina, as president of PhilCycling cancelled the Padyak Pinoy in 2008, over corruption allegations on the national team.
2009 – 2019: Le Tour de Filipinas The Padyak Pinoy Tour of Champions was held in 2009. This race was later retroactively designated as the first Le Tour de Filipinas (LTdF)
The first race to be actually be called as the Le Tour de Filipinas was the 2010 race. The event was also reincluded in the UCI Asia Tour. It was last included in the UCI calendar 12 years ago when it was still known as the Marlboro Tour. The Le Tour de Filipinas was still backed by Alberto Lina.
The tour was held annually continuously until 2019. The 2020 iteration considered by its organizers as the 11th LTdF was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2025 – present: Return of the Tour of Luzon The tour was returned in 2025 under its old name Tour of Luzon. This was due to the partnership of Duckworld PH with the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC).
The event dubbed as The Great Revival started on April 24 and will end on May 1, 2025. It is an eight-stage race starting from Laoag and ends in Baguio. The organizers aim to have Tour de Luzon reincluded in the UCI calendar.
Stages
Marlboro Tour days These were the stages in 1996:
Davao City to Carmen, Davao del Norte Tagum, Davao del Norte to Butuan Butuan to Cagayan de Oro Cebu City to Cebu City (individual time trial) Cebu City to Cebu City via Santander Dumaguete to Bacolod Iloilo City to Iloilo City via Pototan, Iloilo (team time trial) Iloilo City to Iloilo City via San Jose de Buenavista, Antique Pasay to Lucena Lucena to Marikina Marikina to Olongapo Olongapo to Alaminos, Pangasinan Alaminos, Pangasinan to San Jose, Nueva Ecija San Jose, Nueva Ecija to Banaue, Ifugao Banaue, Ifugao to Tuguegarao, Cagayan Tuguegarao, Cagayan to Vigan, Ilocos Sur Vigan, Ilocos Sur to Baguio Rosario, La Union to Baguio (individual time trial) Baguio to Baguio
Le Tour de Filipinas days These were the stages in 2019:
Tagaytay, Cavite to Tagaytay, Cavite via Lemery, Batangas Pagbilao, Quezon to Daet, Camarines Norte Daet, Camarines Norte to Legazpi, Albay Legazpi, Albay to Legazpi, Albay via Sorsogon City Legazpi, Albay to Legazpi, Albay via Donsol, Sorsogon
Tour of Luzon days These were stages in the 2025 revival:
Paoay, Ilocos Norte to Paoay, Ilocos Norte Paoay, Ilocos Norte to Vigan, Ilocos Sur (individual time trial) Vigan, Ilocos Sur to San Juan, La Union Agoo. La Union to Angeles City Mabalacat, Pampanga to Mabalacat, Pampanga Mabalacat, Pampanga to Lingayen, Pangasinan Lingayen, Pangasinan to Labrador, Pangasinan Lingayen, Pangasinan to Baguio
Past winners Tour of Luzon Year Date Stages Distance Winner Time1955 28 April–1 May 4 418 km 1956 23–27 May 5 1,057 km 33:45:081957 28 May–7 June 6 1,155 km 51:45:221958 14–20 April 7 1,517 km 61:14:081959 12–19 April 8 1,634 km 59:44:501960 14–22 May 9 1,648 km 57:51:021961 25 April–7 May 12 2,167 km 59:44:501962 26 March–8 April 12 1,870.23 km 61:04:501963 21 April–5 May 14 2,334.38 km 78:27:541964 19 April–3 May 14 1,967.60 km 60:22:091965 25 April–9 May 14 2,049.31 km 65:13:191966 23 April–8 May 15 1,999.82 km 60:45:311967 12–19 April 8 1,634 km 70:34:571968 Cancelled1969 18–27 April 10 1,208.40 km 37:50:291970–1972 Cancelled1973 11–20 May 10 1,214 km 34:38:381974 23 April–12 May 18 2,540.95 km 78:35:191975 19 April–4 May 15 2,207.87 km 66:18:481976 21 April–9 May 6 2,200 km 66:31:10
Tour of the Philippines Year Name Date Stages Distance Winner Time1977Tour ng Pilipinas 2 May–5 June 24 4,000 km 106:57:20Marlboro Tour ng PilipinasStaged by the Geruncio Lacuesta, acknowledged father of Philippine bikathoning, after a split among the cyclists and the formation of the Professional Cycling Association of the Philippines (PCAP) with Matias Defensor as president. Garcia won the Mindanao stage, Casta the Visayas stage and Gorospe the Luzon stage. It was Lacuesta's last tour as the PCAP took over center stage two years later in 1979. This tour is considered official by the current organization. 7–26 June 3 1,697 km 55:37:521978 Perk Speed TourNo regular tour held; instead the perk speed tour was run Feb. 9-12 over four laps aimed at producing the first cyclist(s) to achieve an average 40 km/h. Starting in Manila and winding up in Olongapo City, the speed test measured 405.8 km.s. Rumin Salamante won the event in 10 hrs. 11 mins., 10 secs. 9–12 February 4 405.8 km 10:11:101979 Marlboro Tour 18–30 April 11 1,900 km 60:01:061980 Tour of the Philippines 15 April–11 May 21 2,780.83 km 83:08:001981 Tour of the Philippines 17 March–12 April 21 3,058.81 km 87:25:43
Marlboro Tour Year Name Date Stages Distance Winner Time1982 Marlboro Tour 22 April–9 May 15 2,192 km 61:29:171983 Marlboro Tour 16 April–1 May 14 2,313.11 km 63:54:311984 Marlboro Tour 26 May–10 June 14 2,464 km 68:08:491985 Marlboro Tour 18 April–12 May 21 3,668.97 km 97:04:421986 Marlboro Tour 26 April–11 May 10 2,900.77 km 77:39:531987 Marlboro Tour 21 May–7 June 17 3,282 km 88:06:501988 Marlboro Tour 28 April–15 May 17 3,544.53 km 94:44:031989 Marlboro Tour 26 April–14 May 18 3,539.47 km 95:40:231990 Marlboro Tour 18 April–6 May 18 3,317.42 km 95:58:381991 Marlboro Tour 25 April–12 May 17 2,373.61 km 63:33:171992 Marlboro Tour 21 May–7 June 17 2,731.38 km 71:21:491993 Marlboro Tour 17 April–9 May 21 3,480 km 91:41:541994 Marlboro Tour 17 April–9 May 20 3,563 km 91:24:131995 Marlboro Tour 18 March–8 April 19 3,280.33 km 83:43:391996 Marlboro Tour 14 April–5 May 19 3,257.29 km 80:50:461997 Marlboro TourIn 1997, the Tour allowed cyclists from the neighboring Asian countries to participate in the event. Wong became the first foreign cyclist to win the event. Asian riders were allowed to participate in 1998. 16 April–4 May 16 2,472 km 62:06:281998 Marlboro Centennial Tour 15 April–3 May 16 2,494 km 64:58:571999 Cancelled2000 Millennium Tour May Cancelled
FedEx/Air21 Tour / Padyak Pinoy Year Name Date Stages Distance Winner Time2002 FedEx Tour of CALABARZON 30 May–2 June 4 517.7 km 12:41:132003 Air21 Tour Pilipinas 16 April–11 May 15 2,849.8 km 55:29:202004 Air21 Tour Pilipinas 15 April–2 May 17 2,849.8 km 70:28:592005 Golden Tour 50@05 26 May–5 June 10 1,492 km 37:20:552006 Padyak Pinoy Tour Pilipinas 12–18 May 8 1,219.4 km 31:10:032007 Padyak Pinoy 17–29 May 10 1,500 km 33:02:38
Le Tour de Pilipinas Year Name Date Stages Distance Winner Time 2009 Padyak Pinoy Tour of Champions 8–15 May 8 1,070 km 29:52:33 2010 Le Tour de Filipinas 12–20 April 4 468.8 km 11:29:20 2011 Le Tour de Filipinas 16–19 April 4 468.8 km 12:15:34 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas14–17 April 4 502 km 13:20:26 2013 Le Tour de Filipinas13–16 April 4 616 km 16:38:37 2014 Le Tour de Filipinas21–24 April 4 614.8 km 17:12:05 2015 Le Tour de Filipinas1–4 February 4 532.5 km 13:40:49 2016 Le Tour de Filipinas18–21 February 4 691 km 17:36:23 2017 Le Tour de Filipinas18–21 February4 726.55 km 17:33:07 2018Le Tour de Filipinas20–23 May4638.37 km12:25:23 2019Le Tour de Filipinas14–18 June5822.3 km20:38:07 2020 Le Tour de Filipinas 1–5 May Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
In the 2016 edition, race organizers had to stop the stage 1 event due to unprecedented road repairs, followed by traffic jams in Tiaong, Quezon, the first in the history of Le Tour de Filipinas.
Tour of Luzon Year Name Date Stages Distance Winner Time 2025 Tour of Luzon: The Great Revival 24 April–1 May 8 1,074.9 km 22:21:08 2026 Tour of Luzon 29 April–13 May 14 1,900 km 41:11:10
Jerseys Like other bicycle races, the tour also hands out specific jerseys:
Yellow: General classification Purple: Stage Winner Green: Best sprinter Red polka dot: Best climber White: Young rider
Notes
References
External links
Statistics at the-sports.org Le Tour de Filipinas at cqranking.com