Shulchenko blazes through Pagudpud

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte, Philippines — Russian Nikita Shulchenko dealt his MPTC Tour of Luzon foes another crushing blow in conquering the rolling and windy Stage 7 Individual Time Trial and strengthening his grip on the yellow jersey yesterday.

Setting off last and needing to beat Seoul’s Min Kyeong Ho’s provisional best time of 31 minutes and 32 seconds, the 26-year-old LCW UAE rider raced as if there was no tomorrow and clocked a blistering 30:06 in ruling the 22.9-kilometer ITT that started and ended beside the town hall, passing through the Maharlika Highway with a view of the famous Bangui windmills.

It was a scintillating ride for the Russian who did not only surpass Min but also topped the stage 49 seconds faster than his closest pursuer in the general classification race in teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai, who checked in second.

Min, the South Korean team trial specialist who came out of nowhere to top the Tuguegarao-Pagudpud Stage 6 Monday, wound up third, 1.26 off Shulchenko.

“It was beautiful, amazing,” said Shulchenko while cooling down, biking on his rollers at his team’s assigned tent.

The Pagudpud ride, while shorter and not as hot as the previous ones, did not offer respite to the cyclists – now down to 77 from 89 – after braving through 816.1 kms with nine mountain climbs including the vicious Dalton Pass, a daunting 10 km ramp with steep gradient that connects Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya.

“I just did my best,” said Shulchenko, who increased his lead over Alrefai in the overall individual race to 1.38 from 49 seconds with an aggregate time of 19:31:20.

It was Shulchenko’s second podium finish after ending up second to Alrefai in the Calatagan-Tagaytay Stage 1.

After a one-day pause in the Stage Two team time trial in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Shulchenko took charge and seized the solo lead with no plans of relinquishing it.

“Yes I do and hope I can finish on top after all stages,” he said.

While Shulchenko and Alrefai were untouchable in the top two, 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ Mervin Corpuz jumped from sixth to third, 4.15 minutes off the pace.

Corpuz’s teammate, Ronilan Quita, jumped from fifth to fourth while Excellent Noodles’ Douglas Tyler Hannay from seventh to fifth. Antoine Huby, also of 7-Eleven, dropped from No. 4 to 6 after a 33-second time penalty on top a P975 fine for violating regulations on distances and gaps.