SORSOGON CITY — Jan Paul Morales of Excellent Noodles delivered as promised, topping the 12.3-kilometer Individual Time Trial Stage One of the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas that started in front of the provincial capitol and ended at the Rampeolas Boulevard here yesterday.
Morales, who was the 87th of the 104 cyclists flagged off and one of the oldest participants in the 10-leg race at 36, registered the fastest time of 16 minutes and two seconds to rule the lap, seized the individual general classification lead and wore the leader’s LBC red jersey in the 59.4km Team Time Trial Stage Two also being held here at press time.
The former two-time Ronda king outpaced Ronald Oranza of Navy Standard Insurance and Ronnilan Quita of Go for Gold, who checked in at 16:16 and 16:18 minutes, respectively, to complete the podium finish.
“I keep saying I give it my everything to win again and I want to prove to our boss Alex Bilian and all our supports that we’re worthy of their support,” said Morales.
Oranza, who assumed the team captain’s role after Morales left last year, was the second to the last rider released and was on pace in snatching the opening stage triumph until strong winds foiled his bid.
Santy Barnachea of Excellent Noodles, Ronda’s 2011 inaugural champion and 2015 titlist, defied Father Time and finished fourth in 16:40. Barnachea is already 46 years old.
The effort of the Morales-Barnachea duo highlighted the impressive start of Excellent Noodles, which had two more riders ending up in the top 10—Ryan Tugawin and Joshua Mari Bonifacio—at Nos. 8 and 9 with same 16:51s.
Rounding out the top 10 were Go for Gold’s Jonel Carcueva and Marc Lago, who timed in identical 16:48s, Team Nueva Ecija’s Rustom Lim with a 16:51 and Drey’s Arjay Peralta with a 16:54.
Defending champion George Oconer of Navy Standard Insurance failed to impress and wound up 19th in 17:18.
The 10-stage, 10-day (plus one day off) race will resume with 156.8km Sorsogon-Legazpi Stage Three today.
The annual spectacle that stakes a P3.5 million pot including P1 million to the champion courtesy of LBC Express, Inc.
Also backing the event are MVP Sports Foundation, Quad X, Smart, Twin Cycle Gear, Standard Insurance, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad, PhilHydro, Garmin, Petron, Boy Kanin, Green Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Fujiwara, Black Mamba Energy Drink, Lightwater, LBC Foundation, PhilCycling and the Games and Amusements Board.
