Ramos rules 40K ITT PhilCycling Nat'l Open

MANILA, Philippines - Merculio Ramos made up for his modest finish in the massed start by dominating the 40-km individual time trial (ITT) of the PhilCycling National Open for Road Wednesday.

Ramos, a veteran internationalist and former national rider, clocked 56 minutes, 59.78 seconds in topping the ITT that started and ended in Balayan, Batangas. He was 35.91 seconds faster than second-placer Lloyd Reynante, who competed in the recent 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Tomas Martinez sparkled in the two-day Open organized by PhilCycling president Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Martinez, winner of the 150-km Tagaytay-Tagaytay massed start on Tuesday, had the third best time in the ITT with 58:08.00 to emerge overall winner with an aggregate time of 5:08:27.99.

Most of the big guns of Philippine cycling grabbed spots in the Magic 10 of the ITT. Former Padyak Pinoy champion Joel Calderon was fourth in 58:37.22, Oscar Rindole fifth in 58:59.78, Baler Ravina eighth in 59:43.42 and another former Tour winner Santy Barnachea ninth in 59:48.63.

Three new names, however, broke the grizzled veterans’ domination with Nicanor Guanzon slipping in at sixth (59:38.63) and John Mier, the 18-year-old who rode in Guangzhou 2010’s track competition, clocking 59:41.13, good for seventh place. At 10th was another up-and-coming rider, Jemico Brioso (59:59.45).

In the 30-km ITT for Junior riders, Rustom Lim (43:10.09), Kenneth Solis (44:38.21) and Richard Auriada (46:29.92) occupied the podium.

Martinez’s third-place finish in the ITT saved him from being toppled from the top spot of the general classification. Calderon’s charge on Wednesday pushed him to second place overall with a total time of 5:10:09.99, 1:42.00 behind Martinez.

Rounding out the top 10 in the general classification were Ramos (2:19.25 behind), Renato Sambrano (3:09.83), Guanzon (3:14.92), Rindole (4:29.08), Sherwin Diamsay (5:22.94), Reynante (5:26.23), Jason Garillo (5:55.36) and Ravina (6:13.71).