PEREZ WINS LBC RONDA PILIPINAS 2019

SPANIARD Francisco Mancebo Perez of Matrix Powertag Japan bested all comers including Filipinos Ronald Oranza of Navy-Standard Insurance and Dominic Perez of 7Eleven CliqqAir21 by Roadbike Philippines to rule the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2019 that ended in the quiet and serene town of Pandan, Antique.

Perez, 42, stuck with Oranza and Perez almost all throughout the 148.9-kilometer fifth and final stage that started at the El Pueblo grounds in Roxas City and ended in front of the Pandan Bay Insitute before winding up at 50th in the stage, or 32 seconds off lap winner El Joshua Carino of Navy.

Carino, the 2018 Le Tour champion, bested reigning Tour de Langkawi champion Artem Ovechkin and two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Mohd Harrif Saleh of Terengganu to claim his first stage win of this UCI-sanctioned race.

All three checked in with identical times of three hours, 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

At the end of this five-stage race that unfurled in Iloilo City and threaded through Guimaras and Roxas City and finished in Antique, Mancebo, whose best Tour de France placing was fourth in 2005, emerged victorious with an aggregate time of 19:26:30 to claim his first title in a multi-stage race since topping the Tour of Egypt four years ago.

“I’m so happy it was over and we won,” said Mancebo. “The team, not just myself, worked hard to make this win happen, it was really team work.”

And Mancebo needed a dominating Stage One victory in Iloilo City to build a massive lead that he intelligently nursed all through out to fend off Filipino challengers Oranza and Perez, who tried and failed to catch up.

Oranza, last year’s Ronda king who turned 26 yesterday, wound up second and the best Filipino rider after he finished 3:20 behind Mancebo while Perez wound up at third, or just three seconds behind the feisty Navyman.

Oranza was just too happy to finish as the best local rider.

“I’m okay with the top Filipino rider award. It still feels like I’m the back-to-back champion of Ronda,” said Oranza.

Navy’s Jan Paul Morales (4:03 behind), the 2016 and 2017 Ronda titlist, ended up fourth while Matrix’s Sano Junya (4:21), Korail Korea’s Joo Daeyeong (4:26), 7Eleven’s Irish Valenzuela (4:48), Army-Bicycology’s Mark Julius Bordeos (4:48), 7Eleven’s Rustom Lim (4:56) and Navy’s Rudy Roque (5:42).

Mancebo’s Matrix squad also emerged as overall team classification winner with a total clocking of 58:31:36 ahead of 7Eleven (00:12) and Navy (0:56).

Navy’s Junrey Navarra was overall points classification winner, 7Eleven’s George Oconer the overall mountains classification and Go for Gold’s Ismael Grospe emerging the best under-23 rider.

Ronda is presented by LBC, powered by MVP Sports Foundation and supported by Versa 2-Way Radio, Juan Movement Partylist, Joel P Longares Foundation, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, Green Planet, Prolite, Celeste Cycles, Maynilad, 3Q Sports, Boy Kanin, Mega World, Festive Walk, Seda Atria and LBC Foundation and in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Iloilo City and the Province of Guimaras.

AFP JEREMY LIN, the first American of Chinese or Taiwan ancestry to play in the NBA, is finalizing a contract buyout with Atlanta to set up signing with Toronto, his agents told ESPN.The US- based sports network’s website said Lin, a 30- year- old point guard best known for his “Lin- sanity” run of success with New York in 2012, could wind up with the Canadian club by mid- week.Much- traveled Lin is averaging 10.7 points, 3.5 ass ists and 2.3 rebounds a game this season for Atlanta but appears destined for his eighth NBA club, having made his debut in 2010 with Golden State.While the Hawks languish eight games out of a playoff spot at 12th in the Eastern Conference on 18- 38, the Raptors are 41- 16, second in the Eastern Conference by a game to Milwaukee with the third- best record in the league after the Bucks and regining champion Golden State.Lin could play a key role off the bench behind Kyle Lowry for the Raptors, who traded key talent to obtain Marc Gasol from Memphis ahead of their push to the playoffs.Lin has played 457 career NBA games with Golden State, New York, Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte, Brooklyn and Atlanta with averages of 11.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals a contest.In 2012, Lin was a last alternative for an injury- hit New York lineup but he came off the bench and sparked the Knicks to seven consecutive wins with clutch shooting and timely passes, a whirlwind effort that became known to Knicks fans as “Lin- sanity.”