Second-generation cyclists hope to make mark in 2017 Ronda

MANILA, Philippines — Can the sons be like their fathers?

For Jaybop and Jhunvie Pagnanawon and Julius Mark Bonzo, they surely hope so.

The Pagnanawons and Bonzo teamed up for the Bike Extreme squad that is seeing action in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 edition slated February 4 to March 4, eyeing nothing less than duplicating what their champion fathers had accomplished in the past.

Jaybop and Jhunvie are sons of Rolando, who topped the fabled Marlboro Tour two decades ago while Bonzo's father Romeo and uncle Modesto reigned supreme in the same annual race in 1983 and 1976, respectively, and they hope this year could be the year one of them will keep family tradition.

"I dream of becoming champion someday because I want my family to be proud of me," said Bonzo, a 26-year-old native of Sual, Panbgasinan, in Filipino.

Like Bonzo, the Pagnanawons are also chasing the same cycling dream.

Jaybop, in particular, showed his seriousness to contend this year after he finished second to George Luis Oconer of Go for Gold in the Visayas qualifying race ikn December last year to make the cut.

"I just want to be like my father and winning this race will be meaningful for me and my family," said the 27-year-old Jaybop,  who hails from Talisay, Cebu.

Jaybop and the younger Jhunvie will be joined by cousin Jetley in Bike Extreme along with Mindanao pride James Paulo Ferfas, Arjay Kaul, Michael Ochoa and Alvin Mandi, whose father Loreto is a Tour contender in the 90s.

A top purse worth Php1 million prize awaits the champion courtesy of presentor LBC and in partnership with MVP Sports Foundation, Petron, Mitsubishi, Versa.ph, Victory Liner, Maynilad, Standard Insurance, CCN, Bike Xtreme, NLEX, PhilCycling and 3Q Sports Event Management.

The other teams seeing action are Team Navy, Go for Gold, Neopolitan, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Mindanao, South Luzon, Kinetix Lab-Army, Zambales, Salic and One Tarlac.

The main race starts on February 4 with two stages in Ilocos Sur and will pass by Angeles (February 8), Subic (February 9), Lucena, Quezon (February 12), Pili, Camarines Norte (February 14 and 16), Daet (February 17), Paseo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna (February 19), Tagaytay and Batangas (February 20), Calamba and Antipolo (February 21) before wrapping up with a pair of stages in Iloilo City (March 2, 3 and 4).