BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The first time is always the sweetest.
LPGMA-American Vinyl's Irish Valenzuela turned the 16th and final stage of the Ronda Pilipinas 2013 into a victory ride and personal coronation as he emerged the race's third millionaire champion before a huge weekend crowd at the Lakeshore Drive of the busy Burnham Park of this mountaintop city today.
Valenzuela, who snatched the symbolic LBC red jersey from PLDT-Spyder's Ronald Oranza with a ride to remember in the 34-km Pugo-Baguio penultimate stage the day before, opted to ride it safe and kept his closest pursuers in check the whole race.
Realizing victory is imminent, he opted to slow his pace in the final stretch and finished at joint 67th alongside teammate Edgardo Bolliser in the lap in an hour, 44 minutes and 18 seconds, or just 31 seconds behind eventual lap winner Jan Paul Morales of Navy-Standard, in the 67.5-km criterium that went in and around this cool, breezy city.
After 16 challenging, grueling laps spread through more than 2,200kms in 21 days of paved and rough roads and toughened up by killer ascents in scorching heat, strong winds and even rains, the 25-year-old Valenzuela wrapped it all up with an aggregate time of 50:53.58.
Upon reaching the finish line, he smiled to the loud and appreciative crowd, raised his P.5 million-worth Giant TCR Advance worth around he has ridden for two years now, and was himself carried by his LPGMA-American Vinyl teammates in celebration.
Valenzuela then pointed a finger to the sky and later hugged his parents, Kiko and Francia, knowing his hard work paid off and years of frustrations and heartaches caused by his futile title search has finally ended.
"I've waited and worked long enough for this moment and now I'm finally here," said a teary-eyed Valenzuela, who was denied of the title last year after finishing second to eventual winner Mark Galedo of Roadbike Phl, in Filipino.
"I wouldn't have done this without my family, my team, my bosses Arnel Ty and Eric Sy, my friends, supporters and most especially God. The feeling is really indescribable, I'm just so happy right now," he added.
For his feat, Valenzuela earned P1 million that he is planning to use for a business he and family is planning to put up and sharing it with his team.