German bucks punishing stage, keeps lead

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines – Veteran German Timo Scholz of CCN Cycling Team previously said he was happy just to be able to don the yellow jersey for yesterday’s Stage 3 of the 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas presented by Air21. 

By now, he must be elated to have escaped the 102.52 km ride from Cauayan City in Isabela to this provincial seat of Nueva Vizcaya unscathed and the colored jersey symbolic of the overall individual leadership still on him as they enter today’s literal uphill battle to the finish in Baguio City.

“This is another fantastic day. I’m happy we have the yellow jersey for the second straight day. This is more than what we expected when we came here,” said the soft-spoken Scholz while signing autographs for a couple of fans who watched the award ceremonies at the Provincial Capitol in Barangay Sta. Rosa.

The 39-year-old Scholz checked in at 2:23:57 for 18th place behind teenage winner Azamat Turaev of Uzbekistan Suren team (2:23:36) in the third stage that took the riders to a relatively flat route with a Category 1 King of the Mountain summit along Nagsabaran-Hilltop in Diadi town.

He has accumulated 8 hours, 42 minutes and 15 seconds through three days of action, posting a 26-second lead over Plan B’s Aussie rider Alexander Malone. Malone clocked the same time as Scholz in Stage 3 and placed 45th.

Loh Sea Keong of Terengganu maintained his spot at third with 8:42:50, while Filipino Oscar Rendole of Mail and More, the opening stage winner who attempted in vain to get the yellow jersey back, remained at fourth with 8:43:21.

Turaev, 19, vaulted three places up to fifth in the individual general classification standings (8:43:54) after yesterday’s solo finish, an apparent stern warning to the leaders.

Considering the circumstances, Scholz said the Stage 3 result in the event held in partnership with Smart and supported by Foton and Jinbei was quite a welcome surprise.

“We had a bad luck when we lost one of our good riders early, Darren Benson (flat tire). We held back a little also because we know Plan B is really interested in having a good position and I think they can win,” he said.

“I’m really surprised about the work of our two little boys, Fito Bakdo and Muhhamad (Abdul Aziz). For them, I think it’s the first time they’re in a team that had to defend the yellow jersey and they did a good job. It was also good luck we collaborated a little bit with team from New Zealand (PureBlack), American Vinyl and Plan B so we kept the yellow jersey,” he added.

Scholz was with a big group that reached the finish line at Pan-Phl Hi-way after Turaev, Feng Chun Kai of Action (2:23:51), and a four-man third batch (2:23:53) composed of Shinichi Fukushima of Terangganu, Hamid Shirisisan also of Suren, Iso Masakazu of Aisan, and Daniel Bonello of Plan B.

Asked about his chances to go all the way to the crown after today’s 132.7-km last stage that will test riders in two long stretches of treacherous ascent in the so-called “Northern Alps of the Phl” en route to the Pines City, Scholz was not too hot.

“Everybody has to climb,” said the German, whose orientation was more on the track, having won two Euro championships previously. “I’m a track rider. I’m not a super climber but also not so bad and this is only my second race this year after having problems in November and spending winter running.”

Turaev was with the group that broke away in the first 20 kms, emerging second to Feng in the KOM at the 68.3 km mark at Diadi, and maintaining his presence in the lead group entering the last 10 kms. He made his move at Solano town, three kms to the finish, and called it a day at 2:23:36. He was 15 seconds ahead of lap runner-up Feng.

Surren team manager Chachai Raghimi Mostafa said Turaev’s lap win and Shihisisan’s fourth placing put them in prime position to make a go for it in Baguio, where the skilled climbers could easily chip away precious seconds of the leaders’ lead.

“Today (yesterday) is a good race because we have two riders in the top five. Tomorrow (today) is our race. My team is good in climbing,” said Mostafa.

Fourth-running Rendole couldn’t share the Uzbeks’ optimism going to the fourth and last stage. 

 “Ang gugulang ng ibang Filipino, ayaw makipagtulungan (I couldn’t count on some of the Filipinos who were just too streetwise and uncooperative),” lamented Rendole, who came in at 53rd in a big bunch that clocked 2:23:57.

As consolation of sorts, Rendole’s Mail and More team kept the lead in the overall team classification with 26:16:28 ahead of American Vinyl-LPGMA (26:16:42), GO21 (26:17:33), Uzbekistan Suren Team (26:14:48), and CCN (26:18:12).

The Le Tour is also backed by WetShop, Maynilad, Nague Malic Magnawa& Associations Customs Brokers,Wow Videoke, UBEMedia, IWMI, Airphil Express and dzRH.