Flying Frenchman reigns in Le Tour

BAGUIO, Philippines – Frenchman Thomas Lebas of Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team uncorked a strategy that left the frontrunners for the individual general classification crown of the sixth Le Tour de Filipinas struggling to the finish.

“Just follow the Iranians because I was only four seconds behind the general (classification) leader,” said Lebas after beating local bet Mark Galedo of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines for the individual plum yesterday.

“So I followed for as long as I could and tried to lose no time with the Iranian riders then I went stronger at the finish.”

The 28-year-old Lebas placed third in the 101.7-km final stage from Iba, Zambales to the City of Pines via Kennon Road, checking in at 2:54:43 behind lap winner Mirsamad Pourseyedigolakhour of Tabriz Petrochemical Team (2:54:01) and second-placer Hossein Askari (2:54:03) of Pishgaman Giant Team in the stage that ended at the Baguio Convention Center.

Lebas’ Stage Four efforts enabled him to sneak past an unsuspecting Galedo and a luckless yellow jersey wearer Eric Sheppard of Attaque Team Gusto for his third career victory after the Tour International de Setif last year and the Tour de Hokkaido in 2013.

After lurking at No. 3 behind Sheppard and Galedo in the first three laps, Marseilles native Lebas catapulted to the top with an aggregate time of 13 hours, 40 minutes and 49 seconds in the final reckoning, 1:57 ahead of 2014 winner Galedo, who was 12th and 2:36 off in the final lap.

 Sheppard suffered a fall in the last 3 kms and couldn’t recover, settling for 27th for the day and winding up 10th overall, 3:40 off the winner. Lebas’ teammate Damien Monier took the bronze in13:43:08 while Pourseyedigolakhour, Asia’s top-ranked rider, ended up No. 4.

Galedo and Lebas were in the peloton as it approached the Lion’s Head but Pourseyedigolakhour and Askari bolted from the group when it got to a sharp curve near the view deck, with Lebas trailing.

“Nagkaroon ng chance yung No. 22 (Lebas) na sumabit sa harapan, pinilit kong habulin pero wala na (Lebas got the chance to join the Iranians in a breakaway, I tried in vain to catch up),” said Galedo.

The 29-year-old Pinoy ace admitted he might have overlooked Lebas, as he focused on overnight leader Sheppard in the final push of the UCI Asia Tour race co-presented by MVP Sports Foundation and Smart.

“Actually hindi naman talaga sya umatake, sumama lang siya sa Iranian group. Ginawa rin nya ang ginawa natin kanina, andun din tayo. Kinalkula natin na umatake kanina after ng Lion’s Head pero andun pa rin sya, talagang nakapagreserba din siya ng lakas para maka-gain ng gap dun sa itaas (Lebas didn’t attack, he just tagged along the Iranians. I considered attacking after the Lion’s Head but Lebas was still up there, still looking strong in the final push),” said Galedo.

As for Sheppard, his bid fizzled out when the mishap occurred. “I just didn’t have the legs to follow them in the climb,” the young Aussie said.

Jun Rey Navarra of the Phl national team was the next best performer among the Filipinos at 12th overall, boosting his bid with an eighth place finish in the final stage.

Tabriz, meanwhile, copped the team general classification plum with 41:12:13, edging Bridgestone by the slightest of margins – one second. Pishgaman (41:13:23) finished third while 7-Eleven Roadbike (4:14:58) settled for fourth.