Go for Gold team in the upcoming LBC Ronda Pilipinas. –GO FOR GOLD
MANILA, Philippines–Go for Gold is looking for a better finish this time around when the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2022 kicks off on march 11 in Sorsogon.
Facing the best cyclists in the country, the young Go for Gold team’s goal is to see at least one of their riders–some of whom are already graduating–make it to to the top three of the 10-stage stage event that will end in Baguio on March 20.
“Same with others, we want to win but we are more excited because we know the competition will be stiff this year,” said Go for Gold coach Ednalyn Hualda.
“We want to win but I think we have a chance of getting one of our rider to finish in the top three,” said Hualda.
Three of Go for Gold’s best riders—Daniel Carino, Ismael Grospe and Jericho Jay Lucero—are graduating from the team built for promising young riders aged 23 years old and below. Other members of the Jeremy Go-managed squad are Dominic Perez, Boots Ryan Cayubit, Jonel Carcueva and Ronnilan Quita.
“We really want to win this year because most of my riders are on their last year with us,” she said.
Go for Gold Carino, Carcueva and Grospe all wound up in the top 10 in the 10th Anniversary Race two years ago.
The last two champion of the tournament, Navy Standard Insurance spearheaded by George Oconer and Ronald Oranza, remains the top contenders.
Also seeing action are Excellent Noodles, which will be led by former Ronda winners Jan Paul Morales and Santy Barnachea, Philippine Army, Team Nueva Ecija, Dreyna, Eagle Cement, Champ Café, Bike Kings Laguna, Vantage Ilocos Norte, VPharma, Team Quezon Province and Team Ilocos Sur.
A total of P3.5 million is at stake in the tournament with P1 million going to the overall individual champion, P400,000 to the runner-up and P200,000 to the second runner-up. The team champion also gets P200,000.
Ronda Pilipinas will unfold with the first stage Individual Time Trial and Team Time Trial on March 11 in Sorsogon followed by the 163-kilometer Sorsogon-Legazpi City stage three on March 12 and 189.1km Legazpi-Daet stage on March 13.
It will be followed by the 212km Daet-Lucena stage five on March 14 and 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay stafe on March 15.
After a one-day break, the race will wind up with the 180.4km Tarlac-Baler stage on March 17, 174.4km Baler-Echgue, Isabela stage eight on March 18, 193.2km Santiago, Isabela-Baguio stage nine on March 19 and Baguio City Stage 10 criterium on March 20. Celest Flores-Colina