LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines — The 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas is shaping up as an Excellent Noodles show. Jan Paul Morales is playing the lead role.
With an eye at dethroning traditional powerhouse Navy Standard Insurance, Morales clung to the overall lead and towed four teammates into the top five after the 163-kilometer Stage 3 topped by Aiden Mendoza of Go for Gold at the Kalayaan Park here yesterday.
The 2016 and 2017 titlist had to endure cramps late in the stage in finishing in the second group that crossed the finish line in four hours and 27 seconds, and were met by loud cheers from a big crowd of mostly young bikers.
The former Navy skipper clocked four hours and 27 seconds in the stage to keep the individual general classification lead in 5:31:59 and the red LBC jersey in today’s 189.1km Legazpi-Daet Stage 4.
“I was feeling cramps in the final 20 kilometers but I was determined to keep the red jersey,” said Morales, who is aiming to become the first three-time winner of this annual cycling spectacle.
Trailing Morales were four familiar faces – teammates Ryan Tugawin, fellow two-time Ronda titlist Santy Barnachea, Mervin Corpuz and Mar Francis Sudario – with aggregate times of 5:32:39, 5:32:43, 5:32:51 and 5:34:30, respectively.
Corpuz and Tugawin made their move by finishing second and third in the stage behind the young and talented 22-year-old Mendoza with all posting identical 4:00:20s.
Also posting the same time as the podium finishers were Tabako, Albay native Cris Joven of Team Philippine Army, Marcelo Felipe of Team Nueva Ecija, 2018 winner Ronald Oranza and John Mark Camingao of Navy Standard Insurance, and Edson Corbadora of Drey.
Last Friday, Nueva Ecija’s Xyrus dela Cruz figured in a scary road accident when he collided head on with a passenger jeepney while negotiating a blind curb during the Stage 2 Team Time Trial.
Race organizers said the 19-year-old Dela Cruz was rushed to a hospital in Sorsogon. He has been ruled out of danger but has pulled out of the race.
Mendoza, who will see action in the criterium race in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games set May 12 to 23, edged seven other rivals in a mad dash to the finish in claiming his first stage victory.