Joo rides into tour glory

BAGUIO , Philippines — At high noon before a big crowd lining the final climb to Camp John Hay, South Korean Joo Dae Yeong completed his triumphant journey in the MPTC Tour of Luzon: Great Revival, repelling the last stand of the home bets and riding into immortality in the fabled cycling saga yesterday.

With a busted tire and all, Joo summoned all he needed to defend the yellow jersey, traversing the 177.54km eighth and final stage from Lingayen with a clocking enough to hoist the crown at the end of the eight-day battle with time, elements and worthy challengers.

Unheralded Joshua Pascual of Excellent Noodles took the King of the Mountain honors but there’s no stopping the Gapyeong Cycling Team skipper from claiming the biggest prize and the cash pot of P1 million from MVP Group of Companies chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.

Joo did enough in the killer Baguio ascent where he finished 22nd in the lap won by Pascual in four hours, 16 minutes and four seconds. The Korean came in five minutes and 17 seconds off the stage winner.

Joo had to battle a busted rear tire at the foot of the Benguet mountains where he saw his overnight lead of two minutes and 10 seconds vanish in thin air as Mervin Corpuz of Metro Pacific Tollways Drivehub rode like there’s no tomorrow and seized the provisional lead in the 150km stretch.

But Joo fought back and raced like a wind as Corpuz, pouring everything a little early, faded away with no more power in his legs.

The Korean then fended off a last-gasp attempt by former many-time Ronda Pilipinas champion Jan Paul Morales who eventually checked in second in the stage.

When the smoke of battle cleared, Joo still emerged No. 1 with an aggregate time of 22:21:08, six seconds ahead of the battle-scarred 39-year-old Navy man from Calumpang, Marikina (22:21:14).

It was one, if not the closest, races in Tour history, and Joo broke into tears upon the announcement of his victory.

“I didn’t think of the yellow jersey, I just kept going,” said Joo, who gamely signed autographs and posed for photos with adoring fans that packed the finish line.

Asked about the possibility of returning and defending his title next year, Joo could only shake his head at the thought of climbing Baguio again.

“I don’t want (to return) Baguio one more time,” he said with a smile.

For Morales, who was nursing bruises and hurting ribs he sustained during a Stage One crash in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, it meant he isn’t hanging up his bike just yet.

“I said if I won here, I would retire. I’m just second so I’ll return,” said Morales, who settled for a runner-up purse worth P500,000.

Daredevil Jonel Carcueva of MPTD posted a third-place finish in Baguio and wound up the same in the overall individual classification, jumping from sixth. And the Cebu native pocketed P350,000.

Rounding out the top 10 were Victoria Sports’ Nichol Pareja (22:22:02), Standard’s Jeremy Lizardo (22:23:40), 7-Eleven’s Rench Michael Bondoc (22:24:15), Go for Gold’s James Paul Ryan Escumbien (22:24:42) and Jay Jericho Lucero (22:24:50), Standard’s Ronald Oranza (22:24:52) and MPTD’s Rustom Lim (22:25:05).

While Joo basked in triumph, Corpuz grimaced in disappointment with his blown chance at duplicating the accomplishment of his uncle Santy Barnachea. Corpuz wound up 21st overall after occupying second after Stage Seven.