PH sprinter Mier rules Ronda Pilipinas Stage 10

CABANATUAN CITY—On a dark cloudy day when the big guns opted to ride at a leisurely pace, former national team mainstay John Mier sneaked away and grabbed the rare chance to shine.

The pursuit specialist from the Philippine Army leaned on his sprinting prowess  in the final 300 meters to snatch Stage 10 of the Ronda Pilipinas from Merculio Ramos of One Tarlac by a wheel even as Mark Galedo of Road Bike retained the overall lead yesterday.

Mier, the 19-year-old rider from Lahug, Cebu City crossed the line in three hours, 46 minutes and 41 seconds for his first career lap victory worth P50,000.

Ramos settled for P25,000  while Ronald Oranza of Ilocos Sur also made it onto the podium worth P15,000 after ending up third in the high-speed, 120-kilometer route from San Fernando, Pampanga.

“He (Ramos) was ahead but I chased him down and pedaled hard to the finish in the last 300 meters,” said Mier in Filipino.

A points race gold medalist and double bronze-medal performer (individual and team pursuit) in the Southeast Asian Games last year, Mier placed third in Stage 9 in Antipolo City on Sunday.

The overall standings didn’t change much as the leading riders took it easy in the mostly flat trip through Pampanga and Nueva Ecija that included a ride on the foothills of Mt. Arayat.

Galedo remained 16 seconds ahead of Eastern Pangasinan’s Harvey Sicam, nephew of the late back-to-back Tour champion Jacinto Sicam, and 1:39 clear of Philippine Navy’s Lloyd Reynante after arriving 2:24 behind Mier with a big bunch of riders that included the other contenders.

LPGMA-American Vinyl skipper Irish Valenzuela stayed in fourth overall, 2:50 back, Oscar Rindole of V-Mobile moved up six places at fifth (3:45 behind) while George Oconer (3:55), the top bet for young rider of the year, defending champion Santy Barnachea (4:01), Baler Ravina (4:22), Cris Joven (4:30) and Rey Martin (5:26) completed the top 10.

“I just stayed with the main pack throughout. It will be the same strategy (today),” said the 2009 Tour of Luzon champion.

Another flat route ideal  for sprinters faces the field in today’s Stage 11, a short 122.2-km trip going to Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Stage Individual Classification: 1. Mier, John (PAR) 3:46:41, 2. Ramos, Merculio (OTL) same time, 3. Oranza, Ronald (NLI) same time, 4. Bautista, Johnny (CLT) same time, 5. Villanueva, Orlie (VMB) same time. Overall Individual Classification:  1. Galedo, Mark (RBP) 40:42:47, 2. Sicam, Harvey (EPN) 0:16, 3. Reynante, Lloyd (PNS) 1:39, 4. Valenzuela, Irish (AMV) 2:50, 5. Rindole, Oscar (VMB) 3:45