DAET, Camarines Norte – Spaniard Fernando Grijalba of Kuwait Cartucho Es narrowed the gap on overall leader Daniel Whitehouse after capturing his first lap victory as a professional yesterday in the penultimate stage of the four-day Le Tour de Filipinas that ended here.
The 26-year-old Grijalba topped the 177.35-kilometer journey that began in Naga City in four hours, 14 minutes and three seconds, raising both hands and screaming in celebration after beating nine other riders in a mass finish.
His victory put him 23 seconds behind Whitehouse, the British rider of the Terengganu Cycling Team who has kept the symbolic yellow jersey since winning the Legazpi City-Sorsogon first stage over the weekend.
Other riders who were part of the lead group were local cyclists Rustom Lim and Arjay Peralta of 7-Eleven-Sava RBP, Australian Benjamin Hill of Attaque Team Gusto, Sanghong Park, Dongheon Cha and Daehyeon Bae of Korea’s LX Cycling Team, Spain’s Salvador Guardiola of Team Ukyp, Japanese Ryu Suzuki of Bridgestone and 2015 champion Thomas Lebas of Kinan.
Grijalba was part of a four-man chase group that broke free from the peloton and joined the lead pack in the final 30 kilometers.
It was at the challenging “Bitukang Manok” in Sipocot Town that Grijalba made his move, which allowed him to join the lead group. Whitehouse likewise tried but he was not as fortunate as Grijalba as he faded.
“I attacked in the last 30 kilometers with the other guys trying to get the yellow jersey, of course get the win. Now I got the win and I’m very happy,” said Grijalba, who hails from Laguna de Duero located south of Madrid who arrived 10 days before the race.
“I’m pretty fast in little groups, I tried to stay together and beat everyone in the sprint.”
“I just keep with the race in the final 30 kilometers because I know it’s hilly and I tried to attack. It’sw day-by-day, step-by-step. I want to get a win and now I have one in my pocket,” added Grijalba, a good friend of countryman Edgar Nieto – the 7-Eleven rider who is now based in Dagupan.
Whitehouse, who finished 1:27 behind Grijalba, kept the overall lead in the race presented by Air21 and sanctioned by the International Cycling Union.
He hopes to seal the crown after today’s final stage – a 207.30-km ride to Lucena City which is the longest in the competition with a Category 2 King of the Mountain climb entering the final 40 kilometers.
Whitehouse, though, faces strong pressure not only for Grijalba, but also Hill (24 seconds off), Suzuki (27 seconds) and Guardiola (37 seconds).
In today’s final lap, the cyclists from 15 teams will travel a distance of 207.30-km from Daet to Lucena City – the longest in the competition with a Category 2 King of the Mountain climb entering the final 40 kilometers.
The event is backed by Petron, UPS and Philippine Airlines, and supported by Advanced Solutions Inc., Cargohaus Inc.
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