LPGMA-American Vinyl out to keep title

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – Strategic riding and cohesion brought LPGMA-American Vinyl to the team championship last year.

The obstacles cyclists have to hurdle are different this time in the 2012 LBC Ronda Pilipinas, but coach Rene Dolosa is determined to bring the same tested game plan he’s been using on every multi-stage race.

``We have to earn as many points as we can in the early stages and hang tough in the deciding stretch,’’ said Dolosa, a two-time Tour champion who has a knack for winning team championships.

He steered the cycling club co-owned by LPGMA partylist representative Arnel Ty and Eric Sy to the team podium in the inaugurals last year and several more top finishes in major Tours since 2009.

Dolosa said his team would face its first big test in today’s Stage 3, the longest ride in the 15-leg bikathon from Tagum, Davao del Norte to Butuan City (227 kilometears). The course is punctuated with a treacherous descent in the final 15 kilometers.

``It’s a terrain where you have to exercise maximum caution. The climb is moderate but the downhill is very steep,’’ said Dolosa in Filipino. ``Accidents can happen in this course that could affect the outcome of the race.’’

LPGMA-American Vinyl, which had a bad start in the opening stage of the 15-leg bikathon, signed up high-altitude expert Irish Valenzuela to spearhead the team’s attempt to win back-to-back team crowns in local cycling’s richest and longest event.

Joining Valenzuela, a two-time King of the Mountain, are mainstays Cris Joven, Ronnel Hualda, Rudy Roque, Rustom Lim and Edmundo Nicolas. They finished 12th as a team in the opening stage in General Santos City and are looking to overhaul a huge time deficit in the coming laps.

With Dolosa coaching, LPGMA-American Vinyl also captured the 2009 Le Tour de Filipinas, 2010 Tour of Luzon and 2012 Le Tour titles.