Mark Galedo and 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines will make a much-awaited return in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas which is staging its 10th anniversary race starting on Feb. 23 in Sorsogon.
Galedo, 34, vows to go all out to reclaim the title he last won in the second edition in 2012 as he spearheads a team that included equally strong Marcelo Felipe and Rustom Lim in the 10-stage race staking P1 million to the overall individual champion.
“We will do our best to try to win it,” said Galedo.
Galedo once lorded it over Philippines cycling as he followed up his 2012 Ronda conquest by copping the Southeast Asian Games gold the next year and topping the Le Tour de Filipinas the following year.
Galedo, who is on a comeback trail after battling various injuries the past few years, is hoping to reproduce the magic in the event presented by LBC and sponsored by the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation.
“I’m feeling good and confident now especially with the team that I have,” said Galedo, whose other teammates are Mervic Corpuz, Aidan James Mendoza, Nichol Pareja, Jhonrey Buccat and Tomas Mojares.
Galedo is also out to settle a score against Reimon Lapaza, who came out of nowhere to frustrate him and snatch the 2013 title.
Lapaza, like Galedo, is also making a grand a comeback as he will race for Celeste Cycles PH-Devel Project Pro Team.
Other teams seeing action are Standard Insurance (Navy), Go for Gold, Scratch It, Bicycology (Army), Bike Xtreme, Tarlac/Central Luzon, Ilocos Sur, South Luzon/Batangas and Nueva Ecija.
Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, Spyder, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX/SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation and PhilCycling are backing the race.
