LBC Ronda back next year with louder bang

MANILA, Philippines - After a successful first staging of the 2011 LBC Ronda Pilipinas, organizers are already thinking of a better, if not bigger, edition next year.

 Jocel de Guzman, head of the Global Corporation Communication of LBC, said they’ve already set May 19 as the tentative date for the 2012 edition of the biggest, richest cycling race since the fabled Marlboro Tour in the 90s with different but more interesting routes.

“It will be the same 12-stage, 17-day race but with a different twist since we’re bringing the event to other places in Mindanao and the Visayas,” said de Guzman.

Among the venues the Ronda will be visiting are Davao and General Santos, Butuan City and a possible reprise of the Cagayan de Oro-Malaybalay, Bukidnon leg while the event is also to touch base with Metro Cebu aside from the Dumaguete, Negros Occidental, Ilolio and Caticlan, Aklan routes.

“That is the plan, to try to have stages in those strategic places because we want to bring Ronda to as many Filipinos as we can,” said de Guzman.

The Ronda is planning to go to General Santos in particular because it is the home of Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao, who endorsed the event when cyclists visited him when he trained in Baguio City last week before he planed to the United States.

Ronda will also stake almost the same purse worth a whopping P7 million including P1 million each for overall individual and team champions.

Eastern Pangasinan’s Santy Barnachea turned back time with perhaps the race of his life to rule the individual section and become the only three-time winner of the annual race since Antonio Arzala accomplished the feat in 1955, 1956 and 1959.

After 12 grueling stages spread over more than 2,000 kms of paved and rough roads plus some killer ascents where the entourage had to buck scorching heat, strong wind and heavy rains spawned by three typhoons, Barnachea came out triumphant with a total time of 36 hours, 57 minutes, 47 seconds.

The Umingan, Pangasinan native bested the 31-year-old Calderon, who pooled a 37:03:52 clocking in a race he led majority of the way only to fade out in the punishing Vigan-Baguio stage.

The newly crowned champion also vowed to be back next year as he tries to cement his place as one of the best riders in local cycling history.

“This was supposed to be my last tour but my coach told me to ride one more time next year,” said Barnachea, referring to his long-time mentor Johnny Borja. “ I will race one more year and maybe try to win a fourth title.”

American Vinyl, a team lacking of stars but mentored by multi-titled Renato Dolosa, topped the team race as it pulled the rug from under the heavily favored 7-Eleven squad.

Aside from Ronnel Hualda, the other members of the American Vinyl were skipper Cris Joven, Roque, Bryant Sepnio, Joseph Millanes and Edmundo Nicolas.

“We knew we’re the underdogs because we really don’t have stars in the team but we executed our game plan to the letter,” said the 45-year-old Dolosa, who now has three team titles as coach–one for Cosack Vodka in 2006 and two for American Vinyl, the first clinched in 2009.

The LBC Ronda Pilipinas put up a total prize fund of P7 million courtesy of main sponsor LBC Hari ng Padala and backers Rudy Project, Air Asia.com, Magnolia Purewater, Versa two-way radios and Starlite Ferries, Inc. with The Philippine STAR, C! and AKTV as media partners.