Morales pulls away with third leg victory

ANTIPOLO, Philippines – Navy-Standard Insurance’s Jan Paul Morales rode to his third straight LBC Ronda Pilipinas Luzon Leg triumph yesterday, overcoming a fierce challenge from LBC-MVP Sports Foundation rivals to all but wrap up another crown.

Morales set the pace early, towed a three-man lead pack that included teammate John Mark Camingao and LBC-MVPSF’s George Oconer then outsprinted his rivals in the final lap to grab his third stage win in one hour, eight minutes, 25.81 seconds in the race that started and ended at the Hinulugang Taktak here.

“I really went for the win here because I wanted to increase my lead,” said Morales, who ruled the Paseo de Sta. Rosa Stage One criterium Sunday and the Talisay-Tagaytay Stage Two individual time trial Monday.

The win gave the 30-year-old Morales another 15 points for a 45-point general classification total, 14 points ahead of Oconer, who placed second in Stage Three in 1:08:32.95 and moved up from third to second overall with 31 points.

Camingao, another Navy bet, edged LBC-MVPSF’s Rustom Lim to claim third place in 1:08:37.99.

Lim, who settled for fourth in 1:08:38.04, slid to third overall with 29 points.

LBC-MVPSF’s Arnold Marco finished fifth in 1:08:51.23, Ronnilan Quita Marco finished fifth in 1:08:51.23 while Quita, the second placer in Stage Four of the Visayas Leg last month, checked in at No. 6 in 1:08:51.35, fading back after joining the lead pack in the final three laps.

Ronnel Hualda cracked the top 10 in the stage for the first time as he ended up No. 9 in 1:11:07.97.

Other notable cyclists who made it to the stage top 10 were Navy’s Joel Calderon at No. 8 in 1:08:56.08 and LBC-MVPSF’s Julius Mark Bonzo at No. 10 in 1:11:09.23.

But the day belonged to Morales, who need only to stick to his closest foes to secure his second leg victory since topping the Mindanao leg two months ago.

The race resumes tomorrow with the 94.41-kilometer Stage Four starting in Dagupan, Pangasinan and ending in Baguio City – a back-breaking route that will see all participants pass through the dreaded Kennon Road.

And Morales knows this will be his coronation ride.

“I’ll take it slow a bit, I’m starting to get tired,” he said.

Quita, a native of San Jose, Tarlac who made his mark by finishing second behind the veteran Calderon in Stage Four of the Visayas leg in Roxas City last month, continued to impress and moved from No. 10 to No. 8 overall with 12 points.

At Nos. 4 to 7 were Camingao (25 points), LBC-MVPSF’s Ronald Lomotos (16), Calderon (15) and Navy’s Rudy Roque (13).

Rounding up the top 10 were Navy’s El Joshua Carino (10) and LBC-MVPSF’s Arnold Marco (9).

Ronal Oranza, the Visayas champion, crashed out early in the race with a broken rear wheel.