BAGUIO CITY ? Mark Guevarra stuck to his closest pursuers with able help from his 7-Eleven/Road Bike teammates and went on to rule the Liquigaz-LPGMA Tour of Luzon.

The 23-year-old dressmaker?s son from Bagong Silang, Caloocan rode with the 19-man main pack that included his chief challengers throughout the grueling, 195.6-kilometer Baguio-to-Baguio stage to keep the yellow jersey for good.

?I felt relaxed because I knew I could protect the yellow jersey,? said Guevarra, ably supported by teammates Sherwin Diamsay, Dante Cagas, Joseph Millanes, and Ronald Gorantes, in Filipino.

?But I couldn?t do it without my teammates,? added Guevarra, also the winner of the third lap, who clinched the P50,000 top prize.

Guevarra, who forged ahead after topping the Cabanatuan-Baguio fifth lap Friday, bagged the title with a cumulative clocking of 25 hours, 29 minutes and 44 seconds.

Merculio Ramos of My Photos finished second overall, five minutes and 40 seconds behind, with Hilson Mangahis of Batang Tagaytay coming in third, 6:12 off the new champion.

Baler Ravina of Batang Tagaytay won what has been considered as the ?killer? Baguio-to-Baguio lap and emerged from out of nowhere to finish fourth overall, 7:43 off Guevarra.

Ravina reached the rain-battered Burnham Park in six hours, 46 minutes and 33 seconds.

The Tour will end at the Macapagal Highway in Pasay City today with the 10 teams competing in the team trial race where Guevarra?s 7-11/Road Bike has already clinched the P500,000 champion?s purse.