Army ace threatens Navy boys

Kinetix Lab-Army’s Cris Joven *far left) edged Navy-Standard Insurance’s Jan Paul Morales (second from left) and Ilocos Sur’s Ryan Serapio (third from left) and a big group in a frantic ending to reign supreme in Stage Four of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 in Subic Bay.

SUBIC BAY—Cris Joven hardly used his bike for high-speed races for over a year.

So when the Kinetix Lab-Philippine Army skipper got his racing legs back, Joven immediately became a threat to the top contenders of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017.

The veteran sprinter from Iriga City showed that he can’t be taken for granted after nosing out defending champion Jan Paul Morales in a wild sprint finish during Thursday’s fourth stage.

“I gave it all in the final stretch,” said Joven in Filipino after claiming his first stage victory in the 14-leg bikathon.

Morales, who ruled the second and third stages, placed second and Ryan Serapio of Ilocos Sur checked in third after clocking two hours, 40 minutes and six seconds at the end of the hilly 111-kilometer course along with Joven and a large group of riders.

“I’m beginning to get back in top condition,” said Joven, who picked up his bike only last month and began racing competitively after serving in the Army for one year.

Navy’s Rudy Roque kept the crimson red jersey of leadership for the fourth straight stage after floating with the peloton but saw his lead diminish as Morales moved up to second overall in the general classification.

Morales, also riding for Navy Standard Insurance, is now just 1:30 behind Roque while Navy teammate Ronald Lomotos slipped the third overall, 2:18 back.

“I knew that it will be a good race for me because I trained on the same route for three months,” said Morales.

Serapio jumped from seventh place to fourth, 3:52 behind, followed by Navy’s Jay Lampawog (3:57), Kinetix Lab-Army’s Reynaldo Navarro (4:06), Go for Gold’s Joshua Mari Bonifacio (4:13), Navy’s Daniel Ven Carino (4:26), Joven (4:31) and Go for Gold’s Ismael Grospe, Jr. (4:34).

“I’m a marked man since I took the red jersey,” said Roque, who grew up in nearby Barangay Tipo, Hermosa, Bataan. “But I’m still glad to be on top.”

The Ronda takes a two-day respite before the riders negotiate the longest trip on the Tour this Saturday, a 251 km race from Lucena City to Pili in Camarines Sur.