Fighting Irish is Ronda champ
By June Navarro
Falling short in his previous attempt by a mere 33 seconds, Irish Valenzuela yesterday formalized his enthronement in the pantheon of Filipino cycling heroes.
Falling short in his previous attempt by a mere 33 seconds, Irish Valenzuela yesterday formalized his enthronement in the pantheon of Filipino cycling heroes.
Ronald Oranza forged an unlikely alliance with his main rivals yesterday and clung to his three-second overall lead going into the crucial mountain stages of the Ronda Pilipinas.
Jan Paul Morales was up to the challenge reserved for sprinters.
Ronald Oranza of PLDT/Spyder survived a rally by Santy Barnachea of Philippine Navy to keep the overall lead yesterday after a methodical high-velocity race in Stage 11 of the Ronda Pilipinas won by Ronnel Hualda of Road Bike Philippines.
Attacking winding roads as one cohesive unit, Philippine Navy/Standard Insurance was a picture of solid teamwork yesterday.
Under threat from a pack of gutsy young riders, climb specialist Irish Valenzuela will need more than skill and stamina to keep the overall lead before the Ronda Pilipinas reaches the end of the road in the mountains.
Rustom Lim made a selfless act and was rewarded generously with a first career stage triumph.
With the mountains looming ahead, Irish Valenzuela just couldn’t resist the temptation to reach the summit first.
Stage individual classification: 1. Oranza, Ronald (PDT) 4:21:57, 2. Joven, Cris (AVL) same time, 3. Gorantes, Ronald (RPR) same time, 4. Barnachea, Santy (PNS) 0:03, 5. Valenzuela, Irish (AVL) 0:04, 6. Galedo, Mark (RPR) 2:15, 7. Navarro, Reynaldo (HIP) same time, 8. Gorantes, Reinhard (PNS) 4:17, 9. Pablo, Ferdinand (HIP) 4:40, 10. Merez, Gary (TEN) same time, 11. Guanzon, Nicardo (VMS) same time, 12. Atilano, Emelito (YFM) same time, 13. Oledan, Tots (TMC) same time, 14. Sembrano, Renato (YFM) same time, 15. Ravina, Jonipher (RPR) same time, 16. Obosa, Ericson (RPR) 5:48, 17. Oconer, George (PNS) 5:50, 18. Tapic, Marvin (YFM) same time, 19. Vicmar, Vicente (TMC) same time, 20. Asto, Daniel (PNS) 6:07
Sprint specialist Tomas Martinez treated his provincemates to an explosive finish in topping Stage 6 of the Ronda Pilipinas yesterday even as overall leader Irish Valenzuela of LPGMA-American Vinyl came home close behind him in the company of his main pursuers.
After seizing the red jersey in the Visayas, Irish Valenzuela of LPGMA-American Vinyl expressed confidence of holding on to the overall lead of the Ronda Pilipinas until the bikathon hits the toughest climbs ahead.
Irish Valenzuela of LPGMA-American Vinyl grabbed the overall lead by finishing second behind El Joshua Cariño of PLDT, who ruled what turned out to be a punishing and decisive Stage 5 of the 2013 Ronda Pilipinas here yesterday.
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