Oconer seen to shine anew as Ronda Pilipinas returns

MANILA, Philippines – The LBC Ronda Pilipinas will be back on the road after a one-year pandemic hiatus as it holds its 11th edition with a 10-stage race that would be participated in by the country’s top cyclists, including reigning champion George Oconer of Navy Standard Insurance.

Oconer ruled the last edition of this annual race — the 10th anniversary edition in 2020 — and is expected to go all-out to repeat as overall individual champion and pocket the top purse worth P1 million.

“It will be tough, but with the help of my team, I will do my best to win it again,” said Oconer.

Oconer will have by his side another Ronda winner, 2019 titlist and Navy skipper Ronald Oranza and a slew of serious contenders including the young and dangerous riders of Go for Gold and a veteran-laden Excellent Noodles squad spearheaded by former champions Santy Barnachea and Jan Paul Morales.

Barnachea and Morales, who combine for five Ronda titles in all, have teamed up this year to give the fancied Navymen and Go for Gold, which will be headed by Boots Ryan Cayubit, Dominic Perez and Jonel Carcueva.

Philippine Army, Team Nueva Ecija, Dreyna, Eagle Cement, Champ Café, Bike Kings Laguna, Vantage Ilocos Norte, VPharma, Team Quezon Province and Team Ilocos Sur are the other teams seeing action vying for the P3.5 million cash purse.

Apart from the P1 million to the winner, the second placer receives P400,000 while the third gets P200,000 with the team champion pocketing P200,000 courtesy of LBC Express, Inc., MVP Sports Foundation, Quad X, Twin Cycle Gear, Standard Insurance, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad and Garmin.

Petron Boy Kanin, Green Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Black Mamba, Lightwater and LBC Foundation are also backing the event along with the PhilCycling and Games and Amusements Board.

The race opens with the Stage One Individual Time Trial and Team Time Trial on March 11 in Sorsogon followed by the 163-kilometer Sorsogon-Legazpi City Stage Three on March 12 and 189.1km Legazpi-Daet Stage Four on March 13.

It will be followed by the 212km Daet-Lucena Stage Five on March 14 and 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay Stage Six on March 15.

It will take a one-day respite the next day and will wind up with the 180.4km Tarlac-Baler Stage Seven on March 17; 174.4km Baler-Echgue, Isabela Stage Eight on March 18; 193.2km Santiago; Isabela-Baguio Stage Nine on March 19; and Baguio City Stage 10 criterium on March 20.