Valenzuela out to reclaim Ronda Pilipinas title

STA.ROSA, Laguna--Does Irish Valenzuela lost the hunger that won him the 2013 Ronda Pilipinas title?

Armed with renewed vigor and prepared under the strict Army training, Valenzuela tries to prove his critics wrong as he seeks to reclaim the crown he last won two years ago when the Championship round of the Ronda Pilipinas 2015 presented by LBC comes off the wraps over the weekend at the Paseo Greenfield City here.

"I've never been inspired and prepared like this since I won the Ronda Pilipinas title a couple of years ago," said the 26-year-old Valenzuela in Filipino. "I'm optimistic of my chances this year and I hope I could translate it to a win."

Contending, much more winning it all, though is easier said than done with old rivals like Santy Barnachea, the inaugural winner four years ago, Mark Galdeo, the second edition champion, and last year's titlist Reimon Lapaza of Butuan City remaining a force to reckon with.

The emergence of young talents like Visayas qualifying leg winner Boots Ryan Cayubit of 7-Eleven and Luzon leg winner Ronald Oranza of Navy-Standard Insurance makes it more difficult for Valenzuela.

And there is the question of desire for Valenzuela, a once feared cyclist some two years ago when he emerged the Ronda King before plummeting to just a mere contender due to various distractions and lack of motivation.

"I'm aware that it's going to be a tough field and I will need all the support I can get from my Army teammates to win this year," said Valenzuela, who bared his true intention as early as the first stage of the Visayas phase in Sipalay City where he finished second to Jaybop Pagnanawon.

"But I believe deep in my heart that it can be done," he added.

Valenzuela's journey back to cycling glory starts tomorrow as he and about 100 hundred riders tackle two stages--a 60-kilometer criterium around Paseo Greenfield City in the morning and a 120.5-km lap unfolding in Calamba, Laguna and ending on top of the Quezon National Park or  "Tatlong Eme (Three Ms)" or "Bitukang Manok (Chicken intestine)" in Atimonan, Quezon in the afternoon.

It gets tougher from there.

The race resumes the next day with a 171.1-km Stage Three, considered as the longest and one of the toughest in the finale considering it will unfold in Lucena, Quezon and rolls  through the mountain pass leading Rizal, considered as the backdoor to Antipolo and eventually to Manila.

On Feb. 24, participants will negotiate the 159-km Stage Four as they will be flagged off from Malolos, Bulacan and finish in front of the Tarlac Provincial Capitol.

The next two days, it will be the 151.8-km Stage Five from Tarlac to Dagupan, Pangasinan, considered the epicenter of the country's cycling universe where champions are born, and the 152.5-km Stage Six sending cyclists from Dagupan to Harrison Ave. in mountaintop Baguio City.

Capping the race are an 8.8-km Stage Seven individual time trial that ends on the peak of Sto. Tomas mountain, considered as the highest point in Baguio and the 90-km Stage Eight criterium that will go around the cool, breezy city before ending at Harrison Ave.

The race is presented by LBC and supported by major sponsors the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, Petron and Mitsubishi and minor sponors Cannondale, Standard Insurance, Tech1 Corp., Maynilad, NLEX and NLEX Cycling and sanctioned by PhilCycling under Cavite Congressman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino with TV5 and Sports Radio as media partners.

For updates, check Ronda Pilipinas’ official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/RondaPilipinas, and Twitter account, @rondapilipinas.