PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte – Seoul Cycling’s Min Kyeong Ho bared his teeth and emerged as the sole winner of Stage Six while LCW UAE’s Nikita Shulchenko rode safely enough to take the lead in the MPTC Tour of Luzon that started in Tuguegarao and ended in this beach town.
Mr. Min, a 29-year-old international veteran, was part of a group that broke away and took an early lead and was able to hold on to it until the group broke apart in the mountains of Santa Praxedes in the Cagayan Valley, and broke away to take the medal of honor on his lap.
“I saw them struggling on the mountain so I was walking alone in the last 30 km (kilometers),” said Mr.
“It wasn’t in my plans because I was aiming for tomorrow (Tuesday), but I got the chance and took it,” he added.
When the South Korean crossed the line in five hours, 13 minutes and 12 seconds in the longest race of the 14-stage race covering 228.8 kilometers, he was met with loud cheers from an appreciative crowd in front of the city hall and plaza.
It was Mr. Min, who overcame the last 76 survivors in the first round of 89 and difficult conditions including heat and strong winds.
“It was very hot, the Philippines is very hot,” he said.
LCW UAE’s Ivan Anisimov rounded out 14 others for second place and Standard Insurance’s Ronald Oranza was third, 1:17 minutes off the pace in the race presented by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. and supported by Manuel V. Pangilinan’s group of companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Mr. Shulchenko and teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai were part of that chase to finish first and second with the former clocking a combined time of 19:01:14 and the latter 49 seconds behind.
Mr. Shulchenko will continue to wear the yellow jersey on Tuesday in Tuesday’s Class Seven Individual Time Trial that starts and ends in the beautiful city considered the Boracay of the North and famous for the Bangui Windmills and Patapat road.
Still at number 3 was Go for Gold’s Dave Montemayor (19:03:27) and 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ Antoine Huby jumped from number 6 to number 4 with a clocking of 19:03:30.
Mevin Corpuz, who came close to winning last year’s program, was on his way to take this stage and lead the way as he was part of the leading players including Mr. Min who was leading for about nine minutes in the middle of the leg.
But just like Baguio’s rise last year, he also faded this time and finished in a 15-man team that finished 18.th in the leg to sit in fifth place with a total time of 19:03:31.
Rounding out the top ten were 7-Eleven’s Ronnilan Quita (19:03:36), Excellent Noodles’ Douglas Tyler Hannay (19:04:15), Go for Gold’s Jericho Jay Lucero (19:04:19) and Rench Michael Bondoc (19:04:21) and Standard Insurance (19:04:32).
Defending champion Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong made some strides after jumping from 24th Sunday to 20th3:46 minutes from departure.
In the team race, Go for Gold remained unshakable as it clocked 77:13:38 minutes, 1.01 ahead of Standard Insurance and 2.8 minutes ahead of 7-Eleven. – Joey Villar
