Butuan’s Lapaza goes from zero to hero after ruling Ronda bikefest

MANILA, Philippines – Reimon Lapaza left Butuan City last month a virtual unknown. He will go home as Mindanao's newest hero.

Lapaza will get a hero's welcome when he flies back home a few days from now after surprising everyone, including himself, by topping the Ronda Pilipinas International 2014 that concluded Sunday in Marikina City.

"We're going home first flight on Feb. 19 and I was told a warm reception awaits Reimon (Lapaza)," said Lito Patayan, manager of Lapaza's team Cycleline-Butuan Mindanao, in Filipino.

Lapaza shot to stardom when he pulled the rug from under the country's cream of the cycling crop headed by former champions Mark Galedo of 7-Eleven, Santy Barnachea of Navy-Standard and Irish Valenzuela of Army and the foreign challenge spearheaded by eventual second placer Frenchman Peter Pouly of Infinite-Singha.

And he did it with style.

Lapaza lurked behind the shadows of the big guns, first behind Kiwi Jason Christie of CCN and 7-Eleven's Cris Joven in the earlier stages, then Barnachea in the Lucena-Lucena Stage Five and later Galedo starting in the Lucena-Antipolo Stage Six.

But when Galedo, the second edition champion and gold medalist in last December's Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar, blinked, Lapaza took advantage of it and snatched the symbolic leader's jersey in the defining Clark-Subic penultimate Stage 13 and eventually the title after he used the final stage – the Marikina criterium – as his victory lap.

The 28-year-old Lapaza said it was like magic.

"I couldn't believe it until now. It’s hard to describe how I'm feeling right after I won the Ronda Pilipinas. It’s like magic," said Lapaza, who has never finished inside the top 10 in the first three editions of this annual bikefest presented by LBC and much more, better than a sixth place finish in a lap.

Lapaza said it’s about hard work, discipline and determination, traits that he emulated from the one he admired most – Galedo.

"I learned everything from him (Galedo)," said Lapaza, who was hugged and congratulated by Galedo himself after achieving his feat.

Patayan said Lapaza, a motorcycle mechanic who took up the sport only three years ago, is a living example that dreams do come true.

"Reimon showed us that if you work, train hard, you can realize your dreams," said Patayan.

After his triumphant race, Cycleline-Butuan Mindanao teammates March McQuinn Aleonar, Tots Oledan, Vicmar Vicente, Jemico Brioso and Merculio Ramos carried Lapaza like they won a jackpot.

After all, Lapaza took home the champion's purse amounting to Php 1 million that he will share with everyone in his team.

And now the people of Mindanao is celebrating with him.