SUBIC , Philippines --Ibinuhos na ni Dennis Von Nickalk ng EMG ang kanyang lakas sa huling dalawang kilometro upang angkinin ang overall lead sa Stage 8 na pinagharian naman ni Sherwin Carera ng Liquigaz kahapon sa 2010 LPGMA Tour of Luzon.
Tumersera ang 25-anyos na South African sa nasabing 105-kilometer criterium sa Cubi Point sa ilalim nina Carera (2:38.07) at Irish Valenzuela (16.51) ng American Vinyl para hubaran ng yellow jersey si Canadian David Veilleux ng Kelly Benefits Strategies.
Magtatapos ang karera ngayong araw sa Ayala Triangle.
Nagtala si Nickalk, hindi pa nananalo sa isang multi-stage race sa kanyang six-year career, ng 19 oras, 20 minuto at 39.3 segundo, halos 11.2 segundo ang agwat kay Veilleux.
“The road is flat and we’ll going to control it,” ani Nickalk sa paglalabanang 15-lap criterium sa Makati City na may distansyang 60 kilometro.
“It’s now between us. But I’m a lot faster than him (Veilleux). The only thing that could prevent me from winning the title is an unexpected crash,” dagdag ni Nickalk, nagtapos sa Stage 8 na may tiyempong 1:12.9.
Nakasabay naman ni Veilleux si EMG team captain James Perry (1:28.93) kasunod sina Baler Ravina ng Liquigaz (1:33.49) at Oscar Rendole (1:42.12) ng Smart sa Tour na suportado ng partylist group LPGMA, Geo Estate Beacon, Smart, American Vinyl, Burlington, Schick, Energizer at Liquigaz.
Nasapo naman ni Perry ang third overall (3:15.07) matapos si Kelly Benefits skipper Reid Mumford na nahulog sa ninth-place 5:40.93.
“It will be difficult for him (Veilleux) to get it from Dennis. But sometimes these criterium races are dangerous so we still have to be on guard,” sabi ni Perry.