LUCENA CITY--Former Ronda champions Santy Barnachea and Mark Galedo recalled their old forms and made their presences felt to jump to the top after Stage Five of the Ronda Pilipinas International 2014 on Wednesday that started, ended at the Provincial Capitol and went over the whole of Quezon.
Barnachea, the first Ronda king, finished ninth in this 151.7-kilometer stage in three hours, 49 minutes and 23 seconds that catapulted him from fifth after Tuesday's San Pablo-Lucena Stage Four to first overall with an aggregate time of 17:14.00, or five seconds ahead of the dangerous Galedo, the second Ronda champion.
Galedo, 27, made his move in the dreaded Atimonan ZigZag Park or better known as "Tatlong Eme (Three Ms)" or "Bitukang Manok (chicken intestines)" that gave him a wide lead that he eventually relinquished and ended up in a five-man group that checked in at third spot in 3:49.16.
It was enough though to send Galedo, the second Ronda titlist, straight to No. 2 with a clocking of 17:14.05.
Taiwanese Feng Chun Kai outlasted Briton Daniel Patten of Roadbike Phl in another exciting finish to claim his second lap win since snaring the Amadeo-San Pablo Stage Three last Monday.
The two checked in at the same time of 3:49.11.
Oranza, a third placer last year, made it to the podium finish and also made significant stride as he leapt from No. 10 to No. 4 in 17:14.44, or just 44 seconds adrift.
Cycleline-Butuan Mindanao's Reimon Lapaza, an unheralded 27-year-old rider who has overachieved this year, slipped a bit as he fell from No. 2 to No. 3 with a total time of 17:14.19.
Mark Julius Bordeos of 7-Eleven climbed to fifth as he's the only one of the other four riders who was less than a minute off the pace.
Roadbike's Marcelo Felipe, Cycleline's Vicmar Vicente, Army's Rey Navarro, Navy-Standard's George Oconer and Matrix Powertag's Daiki Yasuhara rounded up the Top 10 in 17:18.01, 17:18.09, 17:18.34, 17:18.40 and 17:18.49.
Former red jersey wearer Cris Joven of 7-Eleven got stranded in the peloton that checked in last, lost his lead and skedaddled all the way out of the Top 10.
And it was because Barnachea and Galedo came through with a pair of performances to remember.
"The original plan is to cut some time off the leader," said the 37-year-old Barnachea, a native of Uminggan, Pangasinan, the country's meccah of cycling, in Filipino.
"I didn't really expect to end up with the red jersey but since I'm here, I might as well try to fight for it," he added.
Barnachea will be holding the symbolic leader's jersey for the first time since seizing the lead for four days in Ronda's second edition before losing it to eventual winner Irish Valenzuela of Army in Stage 5 in Busay, Cebu last year.
For Galedo, he was just happy to conquer the treacherous Atimonan Zigzag Park or more popularly known as the "Tatlong Eme (Three Ms)" or "Bitukang Manok (chicken intestine)" for its razor sharp, long and widing ascents.
"I just want to win that climb," said Galedo, who has now four points behind Frenchman Peter Pouly of Infinite-Singha in the King of the Mountain race.
The efforts of Galedo and Bordeos also catapulted the Bong Sual-managed 7-Eleven to the helm of the overall team standings with 51:43.32, ahead of Navy-Standard's 51:50.34 and former leader Cycleline's 51:51.03.
The race will take a much-needed breather today before resuming with a 153-km Stage Six tomorrow that will be flagged off in Lucena, pass through Sariaya, Candelaria and Tiaong in Quezon, San Pablo, Los Banos, Victoria, Santa Cruz, Pagsanjan and Siniloan in Laguna and Santa Maria, Tanay, Teresa and finally Antipolo City in Rizal.
This 14-stage event is presented by LBC, the largest courier and cargo company, sponsored MVP Sports Foundation, Petron, NLEX, Maynilad, PLDT and Mitsubishi, Versa 2 Way Radio and Standard Insurance and minor sponsor Air Asia Zest and C! Magazine, sanctioned by PhilCycling and backed by Shimano Cannondale bikes, the Department of Tourism and Phl National Police chief Allan Purisima.