Valenzuela turns back Calderon, tops Stage 6

SUBIC, Philippines– Irish Valenzuela of Liquigaz nosed out Joel Calderon of Smart in their dash to the finish to rule Stage 6 of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA) Tour of Luzon yesterday.

Valenzuela clocked three hours, 30 minutes, 39.28 seconds to earn his first lap victory while Calderon came five seconds behind after completing the 130-kilometer uphill course from the former US naval base through Morong, Bataan and back.

Baler Ravina suffered a flat tire in the last seven kilometers, enabling Valenzuela and Calderon to zoom away and dispute the stage honors.

Ravina finished third (1:18.84) followed by big group of riders led by Ryan Anderson of Kelly Benefits, Tagaytay’s Jay Tolentino, Ronnel Hualda of American Vinyl, Santi Barnachea of Liquigaz, EMG’s James Perry and Renato Sembrano of Geo-Estate Beacon arrived who turned in identical clockings of 1:45.61.

Champion System’s Chau Wai Man of Hong Kong finished 10th (2:23.54) followed by Geo-Estate Beacon’s Lito Atilano and Arnel Quirimit of Liquigaz.

“Maikli ang karera pero puro matatarik ang mga ahon (it’s short race but marked by tough uphill runs),” said the 22-year-old Valenzuela of Tabaco, Albay.

Meanwhile, Kelly Benefits skipper Reid Mumford (12:35:47.35) retained the yellow jersey with three stages left in the Tour sponsored by partylist group LPGMA, prime developer Geo-Estate Beacon, Burlington, American Vinyl, Schick, Energizer, Liquigaz and Smart.

David Veilleux of Kelly Benefits remained second overall (9.54) while Dennis Von Nickalk of EMG (19.37), Barnachea (1:27.09) and Tolentino (2:34.18) stayed within striking distance.

Completing the top 10 in the general classification race are Tots Oledan of American Vinyl (2:55.29), Anderson (3:00.18), Ravina (3:05.72), Perry (3:26.57) and Tomas Martinez of Smart (4:23.32). Valenzuela moved up from 17th to 11th (4:24.83).

Today’s stage will be another massed start out-and-back 130-km course from Subic through the Bataan towns of Bagac, Dinalupihan, Morong and Pilar.

Stage 8 is a 105-km criterium at the Subic Airport Loop before the Tour ends at the Ayala Triangle for another circuit race on Sunday.

Quirimit, the 2003 Tour champion who captured Stage 3, remained 12th overall and was 4:34.87 adrift of Mumford. Calderon, Hualda and GeoEstate Beacon’s Merculio Ramos also barged into the top 15.