Briton rules first stage of Le Tour

SORSOGON, Philippines – British Daniel Whitehouse of Malaysia’s Terengganu Cycling Team ruled the last two special categories in a fine display of mountain climbing on his way to capturing Stage One honors in the Le Tour de Filipinas here yesterday.

Whitehouse, whose best stage finish in the UCI-sanctioned race was fourth last year, stormed to the finish line in 3:56:16 to gain a one-minute, 51-second lead over Benjamin Hill of Attaque Team Gusto and Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team’s Ryu Suzuki.

The 22-year-old champion of the 2016 Tour de Flores in Indonesia earlier displayed his climbing skills at the 99.15-km mark of the 164.49-km Legazpi to Sorsogon stage, catching up with erstwhile solo leader Mario Vogt of Attaque Team Gusto before sweeping past the German to reign in the six-km King of the Mountain summit and take the red jersey.

Whitehouse also topped the one-km second intermediate sprint at the 115.94-km mark to gain a two-minute, 54-second lead at Casiguran town before sprinting home to victory.

Despite the lead, Whitehouse said he remained wary of his chances until after he had crossed the finish line of the rain-hit race.

“I became confident only when I had crossed the line and looked back for the first time. I had a good feeling, of course, but the race isn’t over until the line is crossed,” said Whitehouse, in his fourth season in UCI races and on his second year with Terengganu.

Mark Galedo of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines, meanwhile, fell three spots short of making it to the Top 10, finishing in 4:05:28 at 13th and bagging the Best Filipino Rider title.

Teammate Arjay Peralta clocked one minute, seven seconds behind Galedo while Rustom Lim, also of 7-Eleven, failed to recover after suffering a flat tire in the first 30kms of the race. He was 4:14:40 off the pace.

Guy Kalma of Attaque Team Gusto ruled the first sprint at the 57.82-mark at the Sorsogon City Hall followed by Vogt. But Kalma lost steam as Vogt surged ahead before Whitehouse, who was initially with the 10-man chase group, wrested the lead.

2015 champion Thomas Lebas of Japan’s Kinan Cycling Team wound up sixth, one minute and 51 seconds behind Whitehouse.

Meanwhile, Whitehouse tries to firm up his lead in the 726.54km tour as action resumes today with the 177.35-km Sorsogon-Naga stage, which features  a Category 2 KOM climb.