Fierce rivalry and daring speeds mark brutal “Baguio Showdown” in Marlboro Tour ’94

In the penultimate stage of the Marlboro Tour ’94, an intense rivalry erupted as team captains Carlo Guieb, Placido Valdez, Gerardo Igos, and Wilfredo Martinez battled for supremacy on the brutal “Baguio-to-Baguio Lap.”

Pushing their limits, they thundered down Marcos Highway twice at a blistering 96 to 120 kph—a breathtaking, death-defying stunt.

While awe-inspiring, their feat stirred controversy among cycling purists, who dismissed it as reckless, mythical, and nearly impossible—an enduring moment in Philippine cycling history.

“Sa mga hindi naniniwala na kayang tumakbo ng mga siklista (noon) ng more than 100 kph sa lusong. Bahala kayo (lol)”- Wilfredo Dula Martinez, the Marlboro Tour Rookie of the Year 1985, Marlboro Tour ’88 second overall and Baguio-to-Baguio lap winner 1994.