Tour de Cebu 2019: Packed with surprises

TOUR de Cebu, the highly anticipated 1,000-kilometer historic rally across the Visayas, is back for its sixth run with new participants, new cars and a new route.

The event is presented by the Performance and Classics Enthusiasts (PACE) of Cebu with the support of Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC). It is also managed and organized by the country’s leading motoring events organizer, Tradeshow International Inc. (TSI).

This famed gathering of car enthusiasts and their vintage sports cars is inspired by the Mille Miglia, an open-road, motorsport endurance race in Italy. Tour de Cebu is exclusively for sports cars manufactured in 1972 and older.

One of the frontrunners of this year’s race is a classic Ferrari, the Dino in yellow, which is a model Enzo Ferrari named after his first son Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, who had an untimely death at 24 years old. This makes the Ferrari Dino the first ever classic Ferrari to participate in Tour de Cebu.

This year, there are 29 participants, including several Cebuano personalities like world-renowned industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue, The Islands Group chief executive officer Jay Aldeguer and SunStar Publishing Inc. president Julius G. Neri Jr.

On what Tour de Cebu’s mission is, event manager Sophie delos Santos said: “First and foremost, it aims to foster fellowship between individuals who share a love for historic sports cars. It solidifies camaraderie among like-minded people. Secondly, it’s for tourism.”

Aside from showcasing stunning vintage sports cars, Tour de Cebu also highlights the many beautiful highways and scenic routes of the Visayan islands, specifically Bohol.

Tour de Cebu 2019 began on Oct. 18 to 20 in Cebu and Bohol. Official venues are Montebello Villa Hotel in Cebu and BE Grand Resort in Panglao, Bohol.