Oranza lifts Ronda Pilipinas 2018 crown
RONALD Oranza of Navy- Standard Insur - hind Stage 11 winner and teammate Junrey Navarra on Saturday to crown himself the new Ronda Pilipinas 2018 champion in Calaca, Batangas on Saturday.
The 25- year- old Oranza clocked two hours, 18 minutes and 15 seconds to stage behind Navara, who timed in 2: 28: 13 to claim his second straight lap victory after conquering the 147.8km Tagaytay- Calaca Stage 10 the day before.
It was the Villasis, Pangasinan native’s eighth podium finish that was highlighted by stage victories in the Vigan Stage One criterium, Vigan- Pagudpud Stage Two and the Tarlac Stage Seven Individual Time Trial.
All in all, Oranza has an aggregate clocking of 32: 42: 13, or more than half an hour ahead of his closest pursuer and fellow Navyman Jan Paul Morales with 32: 54: 49, that reduced today’s Stage 12 that will circle around Filinvest, Alabang to his victory ride.
Most importantly, Oranza, after much reluctance the past few days, has started to feel at ease knowing the title, and the P1 million top purse and P300,000 worth of Boy Kanin franchise that goes with it, is in the bag.
whose best finish before this year was second to Morales two years ago and third to 2013 winner Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam in 2013, in Filipino.
Navarra, a pocket- sized, 47- kilo wonder, stole some of the spotlight and the heart of the warm people of Calaca as he crown himself the King of the Mountain for the fourth time in this 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.
It also catapulted Navara from No. 5 to No. 3 overall, supplanting Go for Gold’s George Oconer and another Navy bet John Mark Camingao with a total time of 33: 04: 37.
“Climbing is really my specialty because it usually makes or breaks a cyclist’s bid,” said Navara, a 26- year- old native of General Santos who trains in the mountain ranges of Tupi, South Cotabato.
Morales, the champion of the last two editions who finished third in the stage, was happy to concede the crown to a teammate.
“I’m happy for Ronald ( Oranza), he deserves this because he really trained and worked hard,” said the 32- year- old Calumpang, Marikina- based Morales, who is the runaway winner of the Petron sprint king plum.
Oconer skidded to No. 4 with 33: 10: 00 while Camingao to No. 5 with 33: 10: 53.
Rounding up the top 10 were ArmyBicycology’s Cris Joven ( 33: 13: 06), Go for Gold’s Boots Ryan Cayubit ( 33: 15: 35), Navy’s El Joshua Carino ( 33: 17: 05), Go for Gold Developmental team’s Jay Lampawog ( 33: 19: 48) and Navy’s Rudy Roque ( 33: 21: 37).
the team crown in 129: 20: 35 ahead of Army- Bicycology with 131: 03: 19 and Go for Gold Developmental team 131: 06: 26.