Navy riders counting on Oconer, Oranza

SORSOGON CITY, Philippines — Defending champion George Oconer and 2019 titlist Ronald Oranza will spearhead the Navy Standard Insurance team minus its former team captain in the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas, which hits the road with a 10-stage race tomorrow here and ends on March 20 in Baguio City.

The 30-year-old Oconer will share leadership role with the 29-year-old Oranza, who was named the new Navy skipper after Jan Paul Morales recently jumped ship.

“We will have to really race as a team for us to win,” said Oconer, who is out to defend the title he won in the last edition of this annual cycling spectacle two years ago.

The Oconer-Oranza duo will lead a team composed of El Joshua Carino, Ronald Lomotos, Junrey Navarra, Jhon Mark Camingao and under-23 riders Esteve Hora and Jeremy Lizardo.

Oconer is optimistic of his title-retention chances.

“We really prepared for this year’s race and I think I have a strong chance to win again,” said the San Mateo-based rider.

Morales, 36, transferred to Excellent Noodles where he will partner with fellow two-time Ronda king Santy Barnachea, and should stand in the way of Oconer and the fearsome Navy men.

Also expected to go right at the top purse for the individual winner worth P1 million are the Cris Joven-led Army men, the young riders of Go for Gold headed by Jonel Carvueva, Marcelo Felipe of Nueva Ecija, Rudy Roque of Dreyna, Sherwin Carrera of Eagle Cement and Warren Bordeos of Champ Café.

Also seeing action are Bike Kings Laguna, Vantage Ilocos Norte, VPharma, Team Quezon Province and Team Ilocos Sur.

Up for grabs is a total cash pot worth P3.5 million including P200,000 to the team winner courtesy of LBC Express, Inc., MVP Sports Foundation, Quad X, Twin Cycle Gear, Standard Insurance, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad, PhilHydro, Garmin, Petron, Boy Kanin, Green Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Fujiwara, Black Mamba, Lightwater, LBC Foundation, PhilCycling and the Games and Amusements Board.