Reigning Ronda Pilipinas king George Oconer leads the 104 cyclists from 13 groups vying for the P1 million champion’s purse
SORSOGON CITY, Philippines – The LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2022 hits the highway once more after a one-year pandemic absence because it holds the eleventh version with a 10-stage race that drew the cream of the crop of Philippine biking beginning Friday, March 11, right here and ending on March 20 in Baguio.
The annual biking spectacle unfurls with two phases – the 12.3-kilometer Particular person Time Trial at 8 am and the 59.4km Crew Trial at 1 pm – with each beginning on the Provincial Capitol and ending on the Rampeolas Boulevard right here.
A complete of 104 cyclists from 13 groups together with reigning Ronda king George Oconer and 2019 titlist Ronald Oranza of Navy Customary Insurance coverage will battle for the P3.5 million money purse together with a cool P1 million champion’s purse and the bragging rights because the nation’s greatest.
“Count on an exhilarating race as a result of we’re all excited for the return of LBC Ronda Pilipinas after we had been pressured to maneuver it this 12 months because of the pandemic,” mentioned LBC Ronda venture director Bernadette Guerrero.
Whereas Oconer and Oranza loomed because the early favorites, there have been expectations a number of riders would give the 2 a run for his or her cash.
Amongst them are Dominic Perez and Jonel Carcueva of Go for Gold, Santy Barnachea and Jan Paul Morales of Wonderful Noodles, Marvin Tapic and Cris Joven of Military, Rudy Roque of Dreyna, Sherwin Carrera of Eagle Cement, Warren Bordeos of Champs Café and Marcelo Felipe and Rustom Lim of Crew Nueva Ecija.
Additionally out to steal the highlight are Bike Kings Laguna, Vantage Ilocos Norte, VPharma, Crew Quezon Province and Crew Ilocos Sur.
Barnachea, who’s skippering the Alex Billian-owned squad, mentioned they’d are available in totally ready.
“We had been fashioned in 2020 and began to essentially practice final 12 months however Ronda didn’t push by means of. That gave us one 12 months of preparation,” mentioned the 2011 and 2015 Ronda titlist.
For Navy coach Reinhard Gorantes, the race will probably be determined within the final three phases – the 174.4km Baler-Echague, Isabela Stage 8, 193.2km Santiago, Isabela-Baguio Stage 9, and the Stage 10 Baguio criterium – the place riders are anticipated to deal with mountainous paths.
“The race will probably be determined within the final three phases,” mentioned Gorantes within the race sponsored by LBC Categorical, Inc., MVP Sports activities Basis, Quad X, Good, Twin Cycle Gear, Customary Insurance coverage, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad, PhilHydro and Garmin.
Petron, Boy Kanin, Inexperienced Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Fujiwara, Black Mamba, Lightwater and LBC Basis are additionally backing the occasion together with PhilCycling and the Video games and Amusements Board.
After the ITT and the TTT, Ronda will proceed with the 163km Sorsogon-Lergazpi Stage 3 Saturday, the 189.1km Legazpi-Daet Stage 4 Sunday, 212km Daet-Lucena Stage 5 Monday, and 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay Stage 6 Tuesday.
The Ronda cavalcade will then take a breather on Wednesday earlier than continuing with the 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay Stage 6 Thursday and the dreaded closing three laps. – Rappler.com
