Morales, Barnachea eye 3-peat as Ronda unfolds
VIGAN, Ilocos Sur – The Ronda Pilipinas 2018 presented by LBC kicks off its 12-stage tour today here with the elite 96-rider field of former champions, veteran campaigners and promising young talents testing and getting the feel of the opposition in a 40km Criterium race.
Jan Paul Morales of NavyStandard Insurance and Santy Barnachea of Team Franzia shoot for a record third title but a host of others are out to foil their bid, including 2012 winner Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam, Navyman Rudy Roque and Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology, who finished second and third, respectively, last year.
Morales, the reigning back-toback champion, and Barnachea, who won the inaugural race in 2011 then ruled the 2015 edition of the annual event, have both vowed to go all out for a third victory in the country’s premier summer bikathon.
“That’s my target and I’ll do the best I can to achieve it,” said the 32-year-old Morales.
“It will be tough but we will try,” said Barnachea, 41, back in the hunt after skipping last year’s edition.
George Oconer of Go for Gold and Ronald Oranza of NavyStandard also hope to mark their return in grand fashion, ensuring a spirited battle of power, stamina and teamwork in the event backed by MVP Sports Foundation, CCN, Petron, Versa.ph, 3Q Sports Event Management, Inc., Boy Kanin, Franzia, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, SH+, Guer1ciotti, Prolite, Green Planet, Maynilad, NLEX Cycling, Lightwater, LBC Foundation and PhilCycling.
Oconer placed second to Barnachea when the latter won it three years ago while Oranza was No. 2 during Morales’ 2016 reign.
Morales though picks Oconer as the biggest threat to his historic three-peat feat drive.
“I think it’s Oconer who will give me the biggest challenge,” said Morales.
The Stage One criterium fires off at 8 a.m. with the riders to pass through the Spanish-inspired cobblestones street of Calle Crisologo and around Quezon Avenue, A. Reyes and Delos Reyes streets and back.
The event, which stakes P1 million to the champion, also drew Iloilo, Nueva Ecija, South Luzon, Tarlac, Ilocos Sur, a Ronnel Hualda-captained Go for Gold Developmental Team and a Lloyd Lucien Reynante-mentored Bike Xtreme side.
The Stage Two tomorrow will be a 155.4km Vigan-Pagudpud leg to be followed by the 223.5km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage Three Monday and the 135.2km Tuguegarao-Isabela Stage Four Tuesday.
The race will take a break on March 7 and will resume with the 179.4km Isabela-Nueva Ecija Stage Five on March 8, 111.8km Nueva Ecija-Tarlac Stage Six on March 9, 31.5km Individual Time Trial Stage Seven and 42.14km Team Time Trial Stage Eight both in Tarlac on March 10 and 11.
Winding up the race are the 207.2km Silang-Batangas-Tagaytay Stage Nine on March 15, 147.8km Tagaytay-Calaca Stage 10 on March 16, 92.72km CalacaCalaca Stage 11 on March 17 and the 50km Filinvest Alabang criterium Stage 12 on March 18.