Cariño, Navy dominate Le Tour, eye SEAG slots

BAGUIO – After their show of force, newly minted Le Tour de Filipinas team champion Philippine Navy Standard Insurance, led by individual titlist El Joshua Cariño, expressed willingness to lend their services to the national squad in the coming Asian Games and next year’s Southeast Asian Games on home soil.

Navy scored big in the ninth edition of the UCI-sanctioned race with Cariño emerging triumphant and Ronald Oranza taking third place honors. The squad barely missed a 1-2-3 finish as Jan Paul Morales placed fourth overall.

“Sana iyung riders namin tulad nila Oranza, Morales at Cariño ay mabigyan ng break na makapasok sa national team para marepresent nila ang Philippines sa Asian Games at SEA Games (Hope our riders get the break and a chance to make it to the Phl team and suit up in Asian Games and SEA Games), “said coach Reinhard Gorrantes.

With Cariño’s triumph and Oranza and Morales’ placing, they made a strong case for themselves in the selection process for the Phl contingent to the Asiad.

A perennial titlist in the local Ronda Pilipinas, Navy struck gold in a UCI LTdF race, beating fancied Continental clubs like 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines and Terengganu of Malaysia.

“Kaya din pala namin ang international races (we proved we can also excel in international races),” said Gorrantes.

Now the next question is, will Navy Standard Insurance turn Continental?

“Sponsor namin ang magdedesisyon niyan. Pero na-offer na rin namin, okay naman sa kanila: ang problema, sa military personnel namin. Hindi ganon kadali pag kailangan mag abroad ng players (Our sponsor will ultimately make the call on that. Actually, we have brought it up, they’re okay with it. It’s just that we have military personnel and we have to go through long processes to get players’ clearance to race abroad), “said Gorrantes.

The team’s golden run in the LTdF also served as the riders’ fitting gift to Phl Navy, which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary.

Meanwhile, Cariño said he never could have done it without the help of his teammates Oranza, Morales, Junrey Navarra and Jhon Mark Camingao.

“I was inspired to follow in the footsteps of Morales as champion and I was challenged by Oranza to win after leading Stage Three. It’s really our teamwork that did wonders,” said Cariño.