Foreign riders outshine Pinoy bets in stage 3

SUBIC , Philippines  – International riders continued to humble the locals on their turf with another South African topping the penultimate stage and Irish David McCann keeping his chief rivals in check to keep the yellow jersey going to the closing stage of the Le Tour de Filipinas today.

To many, the four-day event is all over but McCann’s formal coronation as champion after the Giant Asia Racing Team main man preserved his formidable lead after the 146km third stage from Quezon Memorial Circle to the Boardwalk inside the Subic Base here.

“I just have to watch some guys, maybe not more than six. I think I can do that, I can hold on,” said McCann, himself believing he has got the championship in the bag.

The South Africa-based DCM team worked together in a great tactical effort leading to James Ball’s amazing come-from-behind stage victory.

It was the second straight stage win for the DCM team after Pieter Seyffet ruled the Roxas Boulevard circuit stage Sunday.

But the DCM bets said they’re now only after stage honors, conceding the overall individual championship to McCann.

“It’s not easy to cut loose from him (McCann). He’s strong, he’s good. Yes, I think the championship is his,” said Lloyd Lucien Reynante, the second placer, who is 2:34 behind.

Warren Davadilla, winner of the last international race staged in the country in 1998, tried to carry the fight for the home front but lost steam and stayed outside the Top 10.

“We had no other to blame but ourselves Filipino riders. There’s no cooperation among us,” said Davadilla.

Davadilla, Lito Atilano, Jaybop Pagnanawon, Mark Bonzo and Lord Anthony del Rosario had a chance to dispute the stage honors with Japanese Junpei Murakami and Allen Travis.

“We wasted all efforts because there was no teamwork,” said Davadilla. “Suddenly, we’re surprised the peloton was already behind us.”

The DCM riders set a blistering pace to lead the main pack’s successful chase of the Davadilla-led breakaway group.

The peloton, behind by as long as one minute and 45 seconds, caught up with Davadilla and company in the last two kilometers, and set the stage for a wild, wild group finish.

“We exerted tremendous effort in the last 20 kilometers as we really wanted to win stage honors,” said Ball after his victory worth P84,000.

Tots Oledan, a 21-year-old Leyte native riding for American Vinyl, placed second and Japanese Shinri Suzuki took third place.

“I just stayed with the pack. When we caught up with the breakaway group, I gave my best hoping to finish in the top three. I was so happy I did,” said Oledan.

Murakami, like Davadilla, was disappointed with his breakaway partners.

“I was telling them push, push, push. But they didn’t cooperate,” said Murakami.

There were no major changes in the top 10 after the stage that was a typical UCI race over a flat and simple stage where a pacesetting rider or group would eventually be swallowed by the peloton.

Baler Ravina stayed at third (2:41 behind) followed by Irish Valenzuela (4:27) and Cris Joven (5:22), Joel Calderon (5:24), Oscar Rendole (5:41), Jaques Janse Van Rensburg (6:38) and Sascha Damrow (7:03). Air21 skipper Arnel Quirimit (7:07 behind), the 2003 Tour Pilipinas champion, barged into the top 10, while Ferdinand Pablo of American Vinyl dropped out of it and is now 53rd after finishing 84th in the stage.