THE Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC) management fast tracks its preparation for the upcoming return of the IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines at Cebu on August 7, 2022.Allan Alfon, general manager and president of CCLEC, presented to the media on Wednesday, July 13, the ongoing arrangement between the expressway management, the organizers, and the local government units (LGUs) from Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Cordova for the event after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.The 8.9 km Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) bridge will be used for the biking segment of the triathlon as one of the ultimate test of endurance and mental toughness of the participating thousands of athletes from various parts of the world.“We are making sure that once Ironman happens on Aug. 7, then everything should be in order, safe, and hopefully no untowards incident,” Alfon said.He added that the Pilipog-Gabi Coastal Road Project, nearing its completion at the end of the month, will be used in time for the event.The road construction is designed to receive the traffic from the CCLEX endpoint in Cordova starting from Barangay Pilipog just after the boundary with Barangay Babag 2 in Lapu-Lapu City and ends at Barangay Gabi near the border with Barangay Suba-Basbas in Lapu-Lapu City.Aside from the bike segment venue, CCLEC will also deploy an emergency and medical team , aside from those to be deployed by the organizers and host LGUs.For the closure of the tollway bridge on the day of the event, Alfon said “Tentatively, it is set at 12 midnight on the day before 1 p.m., but it has not yet been officially announced.”Alfon added that upon his meeting with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, the South Road Properties (SRP) will also be tentatively closed during the event.“At our end, CCLEC and CCLEX are prepared, we are making sure that everything will be safe, convenient, and the best that Cebu can offer, as CCLEC can offer,” Alfon added.New sponsorThe Ironman 70.3 Philippines marks its return to Cebu in post-pandemic times in grand fashion with a new title sponsor, Megaworld’s The Mactan Newtown, as the race gets ready to welcome thousands of athletes from various parts of the world for the ultimate test of endurance and mental toughness.The premier endurance race, which will be hosted for the very first time by the property giant’s The Mactan Newtown, a 30-hectare township development in Lapu-Lapu City that has its own beachfront, is set for Aug. 7.The Mactan Newtown will serve as the starting and finishing points of the race, and at the same time, it will also be the base for all the participants. Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ Savoy Hotel Mactan will be hosting as the main hotel for the participants and their families.The race will see more than 1,500 triathletes tackle the country’s newest superstructure and Visayas’ new landmark for the 90.1-kilometer (km) bike leg of the race, which includes the 1.9-km swim and 21.1-km run events.This also marks the first time the CCLEX will be used as a race route for a sporting event since it started operations on April 30. Past Ironman 70.3 staging used the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, or the second bridge in bike stages.