Querimit springs back to life, rules second stage

CAUAYAN CITY, ISABELA, Philippines –Seasoned rider Arnel Querimit flashed a broad smile when he received the green jersey symbolic of his victory in Stage Two of the 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas presented by Air21.

This lap win – only the second time a Pinoy cyclist achieved the feat in a UCI-sanctioned race after Oscar Rendole’s history-making feat in Saturday’s Stage One – provided a huge morale boost for 2003 Tour Pilipinas champ Querimit as he tries to keep the springs in his 36-year-old battle-scarred legs.

“Nagkaroon na naman ako ng pagkakataong magpakita kaya sinunggaban ko (I saw that opportunity to shine and I wasted no time grabbing it),” said Querimit, who negotiated the 109.43 km race from Tuguegarao to Cauayan in two hours, 33 minutes, 46 seconds.

He considered this his “best performance” this year, no doubt counting on his veteran smarts to outwit to the finish 18-year-old Rustom Lim of American Vinyl-LPGMA as well as German Timo Scholz of CCN, who eventually wrested the yellow jersey from Rendole after two days of the four-stage bikefest.

Querimit, the Pozzorubio, Pangasinan pride, joined seven others in breaking away from the peloton entering the last 60 kms at Quezon town. He wisely conserved his energy up until the last 200 meters where he made one final push to overtake Lim and the rest of the pursuers in a sprint to the finish line in front of Isabela State U.

Lim, bronze medalist in last year’s Asian Junior Cycling Championships, was given the same time as Scholz, Joel Calderon of Mail and More, and Bradeley Hall of Plan B.

“Sa likod lang ako, nagpapahinga para sa sprint kasi alam ko ang lalakas rumemate ng kalaban. Nag-exert ako sa finish line at successful naman ang remate ko sa last 500 meters (I was lurking and conserving energy for the spring to the finish line and my effort to bolt away in the last 500-m paid off,” Querimit said.

Querimit’s efforts put him at No. 11 in the individual general classification race with 6:21:43, or three minutes, 25 seconds behind new leader Scholz (6:18:18). Aussie Alexander Malone of Plan B stood was at second (6:18:44) followed by Malaysian Loh Sea Keong of Terengganu (6:18:53).

The Leipzig-born Scholz, who was third in the opener, made first-stage conqueror Rendole pay for not giving much attention, tagging along the first group that reached the finish line while the Novo Ecijano got content sticking with the second group that crossed.

Rendole slipped to fourth overall in 6:19:24, a minute, six seconds off Scholz.

“Everybody knows the race will finish with a big climb (in Baguio). At the moment we’re not really fixed on the standing. This will go on until the last day,” said the 39-year-old German, a former two-time Euro track champion.

“We’re basically a new team with some young riders so being one of the experienced riders, I try to go for stage win or probably hold on to yellow jersey to show up, that our team is here. But I don’t think we can defend yellow jersey. This was already a good victory (of sorts) considering this is only the second race we’re doing,” he added.

Rendole, the 13th rider through with a time of 2:34:54, was caught unawares that the yellow jersey had already slipped his hands.

“I’ll try again in Stage 3,” he said referring to today’s third and penultimate lap, a 104-km ride to Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya, a relatively flat route with one King of the Mountain summit.

As a sort of consolation, Rendole’s Mail and More team maintained its grip on the team general classification lead. Calderon, Rey Martin, and Rendole topped Stage Two with 7:43:34, extending to 14 seconds MAM’s edge against American Vinyl-LPGMA (19:04:51). Lim, Ronnel Hualda and Cris Joven clocked in 7:43:36 for American Vinyl-LPGMA yesterday.

Quirimit and his GO21 teammates (7:44:09) followed at third with a two-day output of 19:05:42.

The Le Tour 2012 is also supported by official wear Wet Shop, Maynilad, Nague Malic Magnawa & Associates Customs Brokers, Wow Videoke, UBEMedia, IWMI, Airphil Express and dzRH.