LBC Ronda bikefest set

MANILA, Philippines — The LBC Ronda Pilipinas will be back on the road on March 11 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 trying to repeat as overall individual champion and pocket the top purse of P1 million.

“It will be tough, but with the help of my team, I will do my best to win it again,” he said ahead of the 10-stage cycling odyssey.

The race opens with the individual time trial Stage 1 and team time trial Stage 2 on March 11 in Sorsogon followed by the 163-km Sorsogon-Legazpi City Stage 3 on March 12 and 189.1km Legazpi-Daet Stage 4 on March 13.

Oconer will be crowded by 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, 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, a run for their money.

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.