Foreigners set Tour's hectic pace

IMUS, Philippines – Ryan Anderson of Kelly Benefits Strategies registered the fastest clocking to spearhead a foreign siege yesterday in Stage 2 of the 2010 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA) Tour of Luzon.

Anderson clocked 15 minutes and 2.44 seconds in the 12-kilometer individual time trial on Daang Hari here to earn lap honors and grab the overall leadership from stage one winner James Perry of EMG Cycling Team.

Reid Mumford, the Kelly Benefits skipper, came in second (4.19) followed by Perry (11.39) and three more riders from the United States-based squad – David Veilleux (24.04), Guy East (48.22) and Chene Hoag (1’08.83).

Only Irish Valenzuela of American Vinyl managed to sneak into the top 10 among homegrown riders. Valenzuela ended seventh in the lap, one minute and 12.79 seconds behind Anderson.

“It’s a good distance and I really came flying and rolling out there,” said Anderson, whose last competitive race was the time trials in the Under-23 World Championship held in Switzerland September last year.

“I got the feeling that I’m going to get better as the race wears on,” added the 22-year-old Vancouver, Canada resident.

Stage 3 will be held on the Subic International Raceway inside the former American naval base where riders negotiate a total of 70 kms in a 25-lap criterium.

Anderson accumulated 2:18 :5.45 after two days in the Tour backed by LPGMA, Liquigaz, real estate developer Geo-Estate Beacon, Smart Communications, American Vinyl, Schick and Energizer.

Perry slid to second overall (6.39) while three Kelly Benefits cyclists –Veilleux (34.04), Mumford (45.17) and East (58.22) – completed the top five of the general classification standings going into the third day of the nine-stage race.

“It was really disappointing. I came all the way down here and failed to bring my time trial bike,” said Perry, who came with his team from Capetown, South Africa.

“If I had my bike, I’ll be five to 10 seconds faster,” added the time trial bronze medalist in the 2001 Under-23 World Championships in Portugal.

Rounding out the top 10 were Valenzuela (1:22.79), EMG’s Dennis Von Nickalk (1:22.82), Liquigaz’s Baler Ravina (1:41.68) and Santi Barnachea (1:45.54) and Alfredo Asuncion of Batang Tagaytay (2:28.06).

Stage 4 is an 10-lap, 84km race, while Stage 5 will be a 133 km race from Subic to San Jose, Tarlac.