Marcelo Felipe of 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines edged El Joshua Carino of Navy-Standard Insurance to rule Stage Two even as Matrix Powertag Japan’s Francisco Mancebo Perez kept the solo general classification lead in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2019 that went around scenic Guimaras yesterday.
Go for Gold’s Jonel Carcueva checked in at third to complete the Filipinos’ domination of the stage although Mancebo, a Tour de France veteran who made his presence felt with a dominating Stage One triumph the day before, and his Matrix squad successfully protected the symbolic LBC red leader’s jersey.
The 42-year-old Mancebo stayed with his closest pursuers – Ronald Oranza, the reigning Ronda king, and Jan Paul Morales, a two-time winner, of Navy-Standard Insurance and Dominic Perez of 7Eleven in the peloton to stay on top with an aggregate clocking of 7:47:298.
Oranza was at No. 2 (3:52 behind), Perez No. 3 (4:01) and Morales No. 4 with (4:45).
Rounding up the top 10 were Matrix’s Junya Sano (4:53), Korail Team Korea’s Joo Daeyeong (4:58), 7Eleven’s Irish Valenzuela (5:20), Army Bicycology’s Mark Julius Bordeos (5:20), and 7Eleven’s Rustom Lim (5:28).
Felipe’s stage triumph catapulted him straight to the top 10 – 6:26 off the pace.
“It makes me happy that three Filipinos finished in the top three,” said Felipe.
