Easy Ronda Stage 2 victory anew for Morales

TAGAYTAY CITY—Jan Paul Morales showed no trace of slowing down by topping yesterday’s second stage of the 2016 LBC Ronda Pilipinas Luzon leg.

The sprint ace from Navy-Standard Insurance asserted his mastery in the individual time trial, one of his favorite events,  winning with a time of 36 minutes and 8.6 seconds.

“I feel great physically and hopefully I could sustain this up to Baguio,” said Morales after claiming his second stage victory following a dominating solo-finish performance in Sunday’s opening stage in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The Mindanao leg champion from Marikina, now has five stage wins in the three-leg Ronda this year.

John Mark Camingao placed second in the 14.7-kilometer race against the clock that kicked off in Talisay City, Batangas and ended at the Tagaytay Convention Center here.

Camingao, who also rides for Navy, clocked 30 seconds behind Morales while Rustom Lim of LBC-MVP Sports Foundation finished third, 36 seconds back.

Overall, Morales compiled 30 points in the general classification race, 10 points clear of the second-running Lim while LBC’s George Oconer stood third with 18 points.

Ronald Lomotos of LBC-MVP stayed fourth overall with 15 points followed by Camingao (14), Navy’s Rudy Roque (12), Joel Calderon (11), El Joshua Carino (9), Navy team skipper Lloyd Reynante (7) and Ronnilan Quita of LBC (6).

Lomotos finished fourth for the day,  44 seconds behind Morales.

“We just have to maintain our hold of the red jersey and work as a team,”  said Reynante.

Tomorrow’s third stage will be another criterium in Antipolo before the surviving riders race from Dagupan, Pangasinan to Baguio on April 8, followed by the criterium finale also in the country’s summer capital.