Ronda leaders try to protect lead in Stage 10

BAGUIO CITY-- The Ronda Pilipinas International 2014 will resume Wednesday with pace-setters Mark Galedo of 7-Eleven, Reimon Lapaza of Cycleline-Butuan Mindanao and Frenchman Peter Pouly of Infinite-Singha expected to watch out for each other in the 88.5-kilometer Stage 10 criterium ending and starting at busy Burnham Park.

Galedo, 28, has successfully protected the lead he snatched in the Lucena-Antipolo Stage Six last Friday with an aggregate time 32-hour, 23-minute and four-second clocking, a minute and 12 seconds atop Lapaza and three minutes and 42 seconds atop a streaking Pouly.

Lapaza, 28, has a total time of 32:24:16 that kept him at No. 2 while Pouly, 36, has 32:26:46 to jump from No. 8 to No. 3 after nine stages.

First Ronda king Santy Barnachea of Navy-Standard and reigning champion Irish Valenzuela of Army are inside the Top 10 and should make the race a little more interesting with the former at No. 6 with 32:28:59 and the latter at No. 10 with 32:33:55, respectively.

Roadbike's Marcelo Felipe (2:59:32), Navy-Standard's George Oconer (32:28:59), PLDT-Maynilad's Ronald Oranza (32:30:45), 7-Eleven's Mark Julius Bordeos (32:30:45) and PLDT-Maynilad's Rustom Lim (32:32:46) comprise the Top 10 approaching the final stretch of this annual bikathon on its fourth edition now.

Pouly, however, is fast emerging as the bigger threat than Lapaza to challenge Galedo's bid for a second Ronda title after an emphatic victory in Monday's Dagupan-Baguio Stage Nine where he conquered the steep, razor-sharp curves of Kennon Road.

"I will have to be more watchful of him in the last five stages, he's a big threat," said said Galedo of Pouly in Filipino.

7-Eleven and Roadbike manager Bong Sual agrees.

"If they don't watch out, this Peter Pouly could overtake him. I mean, he has climbed his way back from being 12 minutes behind Mark (Galedo) to just three minutes now.

That's impressive if you'll ask me," said Sual, whose 7-Eleven squad leads the team race in 97:23:50 atop of Navy-Standard's 97:25:12 and PLDT-Maynilad's 97:26:52.

Pouly, for his part, said he is just satisfied defending the King of the Mountain race leadership due to lack of team support after his original five-man team was reduced to three following withdrawals by Laotian SEA Games gold medallist Ariya Phounsavath and Canadian Nicolas Magnan.

"I will be happy to just win the KOM race because we're only three in the team now," said Pouly, who has 51 KOM points against closest pursuers Lim (34) and Galedo (33).

Pouly, however, said he will not hesitate to seize the lead if given the opportunity.

"If I'm given the chance, why not," said Pouly, who came here with Thai wife Kate.

Ronda is presented by LBC, the largest courier and cargo company, sponsored MVP Sports Foundation, Petron, NLEX, Maynilad, PLDT and Mitsubishi, Versa 2 Way Radio and Standard Insurance and minor sponsor Air Asia Zest and C! Magazine, sanctioned by PhilCycling and backed by Shimano Cannondale bikes, the Department of Tourism and Phl National Police chief Allan Purisima.