The 2002 Calabarzon Tour titlist outfoxed a huge field of riders at the end of the winding 125-kilometer race from Marikina, checking in by his lonesome at the finish here at the start of the 10-stage, 11-day odyssey on two wheels presented by Tanduay.
Barnachea, an Umingan, Pangasinan native bannering the Touch Mobile team, pedalled furiously in the last few kilometers entering the Lucena City proper and finally reaped top stage honors with a time of 3:28:28.
"At last I’ll wear the green jersey," said Barnachea in Filipino, basking in glory under unforgiving summer heat and before a huge crowd at the finish line.
Barnachea, a member of the RP national team who finished ninth in the 2004 Air21 Tour Pilipinas, will don the green jersey as the 81 competing riders continue their southward journey with the second stage to Tagaytay today.
It covers a shorter distance of 91.09 kilometers but is likely to provide tough challenge with the steep ascent featuring dangerous hairpin turns in Talisay town.
There are climbs and winding descents along the Marikina-to-Lucena route but these hardly took their toll on the riders who’re still very fresh this early in the race.
"Lahat malalakas kaya sa dulo ng karera magkaka-talo ," said Barnachea.
Twenty other riders submitted the same clocking as Barnachea with Go21 skipper Baler Ravina and Metro Drug’s third man Benito Lopez taking second- and third-place honors.
Reigning champion Rhyan Tanguilig rode through half of the distance with a mechanical problem and finished with the second main group, one minute and 47 seconds behind the frontrunner.
Warren Davadilla was with the lead group while other top guns Arnel Quirimit, Enrique Domingo and Eric Feliciano were with the second bunch.
"Humigpit ang sprocket ko at sumayad ang crank sa frame wala pa sa kalahati ng karera, pero pinagtsagaan ko na rin," said Tanguilig, using the bike provided him by the Pagcor trade him.
"Pero hindi excuse iyon at hindi naman talaga ako kundisyon. Hopefully, gumanda ang kundisyon ko bago matapos ang karera," added Tanguilig, who finished outside the Magic 10 in his most recent race — the Tour de Hundred Islands last April 29 to May 1.
A number of lesser-known riders attempted to break away early from the pack to no avail.
Sharing the limelight were Rene Hererra of the Tourism team and Nilo Estayo of Touch Mobile who topped Stage One’s King of the Mountain and Sprint races, respectively.
In the team competition, Tourism and Custom got a headstart in the race for the P700,000 pot, submitting similar clockings of 53:52.96. Colt 45 was third at 55:40.17.