Tougher, longer tour under way

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines  – With the Baguio-to-Baguio stage scrapped, premium will be on endurance and strategy on flat roads both in the individual and team competitions when the second LBC Ronda Pilipinas is fired off Thursday here.

Organizers of the event, staged for the second straight year by LBC Express, Inc., have scratched the 188km Baguio-to-Baguio leg, considered the toughest and decisive stage because of a pair of descents on Marcos Highway and a climb on Naguilian and Kennon roads on the way to the mountaintop city, for a longer 2,077km route.

Traditionally set in the last three stages of the tour, the Baguio run has become crucial in the rise and fall of frontrunners. Santy Barnachea, now the spearhead of Phl Navy, came out of nowhere to rule the stage and snatch the crown from Joel Calderon in the 16-day, 12-stage tour last year.

Calderon, now suiting up for V-Mobile Nueva Ecija, led the race before that crucial Baguio ascent.

The new route will instead bring the 96 intrepid riders through cities and towns and long highways, interrupted by winding roads and a few uphill climbs, in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, making the battle for top honors in the 19-day, 15-stage odyssey on wheels a wide open race.

“This year, we are bringing a bigger Ronda Pilipinas covering more distance, stages and major cities and towns for 20 days,” said LBC Express, Inc. president Fernando Araneta.

The prologue will be held tomorrow.

“We are truly grateful for the support that Ronda Pilipinas generated since our inaugural race last year that went beyond bounds of the local racing community and into consciousness of our nation. We are fully committed to continue to elevate the state of Phl cycling by harnessing the spirit of competition locally and to represent the country internationally through Ronda Pilipinas,” said Araneta.

The winners in both individual and team categories will get P1 million each courtesy of LBC.

Organizers said the 2012 LBC Ronda Pilipinas levels the playing field among the 96 riders, 30 of them pre-qualified from their top 30 finishes in last year’s inaugural edition, and rest selected from the eliminations held last May.

Barnachea and Navy teammates Lloyd Lucien Reynante, Frederick Feliciano and Eusebio Quinones are the early favorites to vie for the individual crown along with Warren Davadilla of Air Force, Alfie Catalan and John Rene Mier of Army-RC Cola, Joel Calderon of V-Mobile Nueva Ecija, Baler Ravina of Team Roadbike Philippines, Merculio Ramos of Tarlac-Northern Philippines and Arnel Quirimit of West Pangasinan.

However, with the veteran campaigners already past the age of 32, new and upcoming riders with sturdier legs are tipped to contend for the crown, including Irish Valenzuela and Cris Joven, both 25, and 20-year-old George Oconer, last year’s third placer, and fellow RP team members Jemico Brioso (23), Mark Julius Bonzo (22), Kelvin John Mendoza (20), Gerald Mendoza (21) and Aries Ramento (21).

Thirty-three cyclists who are below 30 years old have earned slots in the 16 teams after hurdling the national qualifying elims.

Barnachea’s Navy team looms as the top contender in team competition won last year by Team American Vinyl now headed by Valenzuela and Joven.

Another team to watch is the national squad which enjoys year-round training for international competitions, including next year’s SEA Games in Cambodia.

For details, visit www.rondapilipinas.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rondapilipinas and twitter www.twitter/rondapilipinas.