Oranza shines anew in Stage 10

RONALD ORANZA posted 147.8-kilometer Stage 10 ruled by Navy- Standard Insurance teammate Junrey Navara to close in on his first Ronda Pilipinas crown going into presented by LBC.

Oranza, 25, outsprinted 13 others in the last stretch to claim third place honors with a three- hour, 26.02- minute clocking in the stage that started at the Tagaytay Convention Center and ended in front of the Calaca Municipal Hall in Calaca, Batangas.

The pocket-sized, 26-yearold Navara flashed superb mountain- climbing skills, dominating the ascents in Ticub and Payapa to take stage honors in 3:21:47, a second ahead of Ryan Cayubit of Go for Golf Elite.

But Oranza proved up to the challenge, posting his seventh saw him top the Stage One Vigan criterium, the ViganPagudpud Stage Two and the Tarlac Stage Seven criterium.?

After 10 stages, the Villasis, Pangasinan native has all but wrapped up the coveted crown with an aggregate time of 30:15:03, about seven minutes ahead of fellow Navyman and reigning back-to-back champion Jan Paul Morales (30:21:58).

Oranza, however, has opted to wait till tomorrow before celebrating his impending Ronda feat.

“Let’s finish the next stage said Oranza, referring to today’s 92.72km Calaca-Calaca Stage 11, a smaller version of Stage 10.

Navara, Oranza and Joven broke loose from the main stage but only Navarra sustained the pace to seize stage honors.

The race, presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, Filinvest, Philippine Rabbit, CCN, Petron, Versa.ph, 3Q Sports Event Management, Inc., Boy Kanin, Franzia, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, SH+, Guerciotti, Prolite, Green Planet, Maynilad, NLEX Sports, Lightwater, LBC Foundation and PhilCycling concludes with the Stage 12 criterium, in Filinvest, Alabang tomorrow.

Navara, meanwhile, savored the victory more than made up for his failed bid in Stage Nine where he went on attack mode in in the end.

?“I paced myself better today (yesterday) and that was the key,” said Navara, a former three-time Ronda King of the Mountain winner.

Aside from claiming the white CCN polka dot KOM jersey, the Gen. Santos ace also got past Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology for No. 5 with 30:36:11. Joven dropped to sixth with 30:38:24.

George Oconer of Go for Gold remained at third with 30:35:18 followed by Jhon Mark Camingao of Navy with 30:36:11 while Navy’s El Joshua Carino (30:42:23), Go for Gold Developmental team’s Jay Lampawog ( 30: 45: 06) and Navy’s Rudy Roque ( 30: 46: 55) rounded up the top 10.