Delos Reyes grabs United Tour of Subic title

MANILA, Philippines — Stealing the thunder from the favorites, Bike King’s Joey Delos Reyes ruled the final stage to bag the overall individual championship in Category 2 of the Bike United Tour of Subic 2014 last weekend at Subic Bay Freeport.

Delos Reyes topped the grueling 90K Stage 3 of the road race with a time of two hours 38 minutes and 46 seconds after edging Unilab Active Health’s Ben Rana in a thrilling finish.

A bike mechanic, Delos Reyes’ lone stage win also proved enough to upset Cebuano rider Ramonito Espinosa, who had been tipped to capture the overall crown after winning the first two stages.

The 26-year-old Delos Reyes, who finished second in the 60K Stage 2, ruled the two-day bikefest with a total time of 5:08:58.

Rana, who pulled away from the peloton with Delos Reyes after the first 25K of Stage 3, finished second in the stage with a 2:38:47 clocking and wound up second overall with a time of 5:11:22.

Espinosa, who came in poised to win the crown, bungled his chances after a mechanical problem in Stage 3 put him 14 minutes behind Delos Reyes (2:52:56).

Franzia’s Marella Vania Salamat ruled the distaff side with a 5:36:06 total time after sweeping all three stages.