RODERIC Calla rules the Tour de Larrazabal’s Ormoc-Ormoc stage. ROMY HOMILLADA
ORMOC CITY—John Derick Farr of Team Prima Isuzu Dmax stole the thunder from Southeast Asian Games-bound Joey Barba of Groundzero Wim Top Gun in the downhill mountain bike finals of the 9th Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival at Barangay Milagros here.
Farr, the prodigious 17-year-old son of former national team coach Frederick “Eboy” Farr, clocked 1 minute and 40.09 seconds over the tricky one-kilometer trail to nip Barba (1:40.91) in the Open Elite category.
Frederick Farr, who guided Barba to a golden performance in the 2007 Thailand SEA Games, also pulled off a similar feat over Wendell Barba of Hitech Cycles to rule the expert category in 1:48.80.
Wendell, Joey’s cousin, timed 1:50.86, over the layout dotted with several steep dropoffs while Nilo Estayo, a veteran road racer, placed third (2:00.42).
The annual cycling festival was organized by the Emeterio Larrazabal Foundation and backed by San Miguel Corp., Air21 and Rudy Project.
Calla seizes road lead
In the Tour de Larrazabal, Roderic Calla of Vondutch-Bont topped Stage 3 of the four-day race after the Parañaque City-based climber soloed it home in 3 hours, 18 minutes and 25.3 seconds to seize the Category B overall lead from Ramonito Espinosa of Admor Load.
Espinosa placed second, 1:55.9 behind, at the end of the hilly 140-km ride from this serene seaside city to Palompon town and back.
Marcial Catanggui of Porbo-Kidapawan was third, 5:56.9 back, in the race presided over by PhilCycling chair Alberto Lina and PhilCycling director Gregorio Larrazabal.
Overall, Calla stayed ahead by 40.5 seconds over Romilito Villarubia, who dislodged Ysmael Gendrano from the top in Category C, and led Romeo Camingao of Excellent Noodles Team by 1:55.7 going into today’s criterium finale.
Other winners in the downhill races were Yves Steven Alcancia of Hitech Cycles (under-19), Miguel Omoso (age group 20-29), Jonathan Verga of V12 Radgear (30-39) and Eugenio Malabanan of Atom Bikers (40 and over).