LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—As the 2012 Ronda Pilipinas reaches its climax, many riders have realized that the richest cycling race in the country is a veritable cash register.
Heading the list of earners so far are double lap winners Jan Paul Morales of Navy (P103,000) and Sherwin Diamsay of One Tarlac (P101,000).
King of the mountain leader Irish Valenzuela of LPGMA-American Vinyl lays third with P95,500 after 11 stage of the 15 stages of the Tour.
Valenzuela’s teammate Chris Joven has so far earned P80,000 for ruling a lap and placing consistently in the top 20.
Sharing the fifth and sixth spots in the bikathon won last year by three-time Tour champion Santy Barnachea were Pangasinan’s Baler Ravina (P68,500), Philippine Army’s John Mier (P68,500).
Both of Ravina and Mier won lap honors worth P50,000.
Overall leader Mark Galedo of Caloocan City, also a lap winner, comes next with P60,000, followed by Tarlac’s Tomas Martinez (P58,500) and Rudy Roque of LPGMA-American Vinyl (P58,500).
Merculio Ramos was 10th in the rankings, earning P54,000 without winning a single stage. The team captain of One Tarlac placed second in Stage 10 (P25,000) and finished fourth twice.