Barnachea on verge of Tour history

BAGUIO CITY—Only a major mishap can stop Santy Barnachea from reaching the peak of glory in the 2011 LBC Ronda Pilipinas.

The two-time Tour champion overcame his nearest rivals’ assault with aplomb in Friday’s Stage 10, putting the fierce climber from Eastern Pangasinan on the verge of victory in local cycling’s most prestigious race and of a historical feat no rider has accomplished in the last 50 years.

Barnachea arrived with a large group six minutes behind stage winner Mark Galedo—and four minutes after his closest challengers Joel Calderon and George Oconer— but the time gap hardly affected the overall lead the rider from Umingan, Pangasinan, erected after the decisive Vigan-Baguio stage on Thursday.

“I’m 90 percent sure of winning this one,” the 35-year-old Navyman said in Filipino. “Only Divine intervention or a tragic accident can deny me the crown.”

The last man to rule a Tour three times was Antonio Arzala, who reigned during the bikathon’s formative years in 1955, 1956 and 1959.

Barnachea, already the winner of the 2006 Tour and the 2002 Calabarzon Tour, stood six minutes and 28 seconds clear of new second-placer Calderon and 6:45 of Oconer.

At the start of the short 46.4-kilometer climb from Agoo, La Union, via Marcos Highway Barnachea was 7:14 ahead of March Aleonar. But Aleonar stuck like leech on Barnachea and paid the price, falling to fourth overall behind Calderon and Oconer.

Galedo, the 2009 LPGMA Tour of Luzon champion, completed a solo breakaway to clock one hour, 42 minutes and 29.5 seconds.

Lloyd Reynante gave it everything he had in a mad dash to the finish and beat Baler Ravina, Irish Valenzuela, Oconer and Cal-deron for second place, 2:18 behind Galedo.

Valenzuela won King of the Mountain honors after pooling 82 points in 10 stages. He is also in contention for the Sprint King plum in the final two stages.

American Vinyl-LPGMA moved closer to the general team classification title despite a desperate attack by 7-Eleven in the last 28 km of the progressive ascent to the fog-covered Burnham Park here.

The cycling club co-owned by businessman-sportsman Eric Sy and LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty enjoys a 12:15 lead over 7-Eleven and 19:13 over Tarlac as four American Vinyl riders led by Cris Joven made it to the top 20 in yesterday’s stage.

“We’re not hot on individual awards,” said Joven, who trails behind Barnachea by 11:10 at seventh overall, in Filipino. “From the start, our goal has been to win as a team.”

The leaderboard is not expected change significantly in the last two stages as the cyclists tackle relatively easy and flat terrain.

Reynante remained in fifth overall, 8:09 behind Barnachea, followed by Baler Ravina (8:25), Cris Joven (11:10), Tomas Martinez (12:24), Rudy Roque (13:03) and former overall leader Frederick Feliciano (16:10).

Course officials said today’s Stage 11 will be an easy ride from Baguio to Angeles City.

The final stage is a parade-pace 99.6 km trek from Angeles to Manila, where the riders will then race in a nine-lap circuit measuring 41.4 km on Roxas Boulevard.

“I will have to rely on my teammates in the next two stages and just go through the motions,” said Barnachea.

A three-man breakaway pack composed of Galedo, Oconer and Valenzuela surged out of the peloton 33 km into the race, with Barnachea shooting glances at his challengers in the second group.

By the time the leading trio moved within 15 km of the finish, Barnachea knew the time difference wouldn’t be that substantial.

“I was relaxed throughout the race,” he said. “My teammates countered the attacks.”