Galedo thirsts no more for Tour honors

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – Mark John Lexter Galedo of Team 7-Eleven Roadbike quenched his thirst for glory with a gratifying win in Stage Two of the fifth Le Tour de Filipinas that ended here.

Riding the last 25 kilometers of 175.5K race from Olongapo City with insufficient water supply as their team vehicle was stuck up at the back of the lead pack and chase group, a “thirsty” Galedo dug deep into his reservoir of willpower to score one for the local bets.

The 28-year-old Galedo pedaled 13K into the finish, extricating from the 13-man pace for the solo finish in 4:14:34 that made him only the third Pinoy to rule a stage in the UCI-sanctioned Le Tour since Oscar Rendole and Arnel Quirimit copped back-to-back lap honors in 2012.

“Paubos na tubig at mainit ang araw pero inisip ko na lang sa sarili ko, kailangan manalo ako rito, kailangang Filipino (I was running low on water supply under the scorching sun but I just willed myself to continue on and win this for the Filipinos),” he said, gratefully enjoying an energy drink.

It was a 1-3 finish for Phl riders as Galedo’s teammate Chris Joven placed third, submitting 4:15.21, the same clocking as Park Sungbaek of Korean team KSPO who took runner-up honors.

Galedo was joined by Joven in a shaded corner of the town plaza and they exchanged a two-handed high-five.

In a well-played tactical ploy, Joven helped the charging Galedo get the job done by controlling the chase group as they entered the city’s junction in the last push towards the finish line set up near College of Immaculate Conception.

“Dalawa kami ni Joven dun at talagang ganon ang plano namin (Joven and myself really planned that),” said the Mandaluyong-based Galedo, who proved that even a climber like him can rule a race on flats.

“Ang strategy namin, idedelay ko yung mga humahabol para lumayo siya (My task was to delay the chasers to allow Galedo to pull away),” said Joven.

Galedo’s fiery performance vaulted him into No. 3 overall in the individual general classification phase behind two riders from OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team – Goh Choon Huat and  Eric Timothy Sheppard, winner of Monday’s opening stage.

Singaporean Goh was among those who checked in 47 seconds after Galedo. After two days, he logged 8:21:53 to grab a three-minute, three-second lead against Sheppard, who finished 28th in the stage (4:21:14). Galedo was 3:33 off Goh at the halfway point of the Air21-presented race.

After racing on flats, including the SCTEX and TPLEX, the competitors go on a 146.6K ride over the foothills of the Sierra Madre to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya for Stage Three.

The positioning is expected to continue for the 65 remaining riders in the field as they brace for the final reckoning in tomorrow’s 132.7-km roller-coaster ride on the Cordilleras from Bayombong to Baguio.

The  Le Tour also supported by Smart, NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX, BCDA, Petron, Victory Liner and M. Lhuillier.