Pagnanawon sons lead Ronda cast

MANILA, Philippines - Three sons of former Tour champion Rolando Pagnanawon will spearhead a huge cast of cyclists eyeing slots in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 edition when it holds the last of two qualifying races in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Jaybop Pagnanawon, whose father topped the fabled Marlboro Tour in 1986, will spearhead his younger brothers Jhundie and Jetley as they hope to make it to the 30-man qualifier that will join 90 others in the main race of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas set Feb. 4 to March 4 next year.

This will mark the return of the 27-year-old Pagnanawon, who will represent Team Pagay Construction, after he missed the cut last year and failed to join altogether in this year’s edition.

Pagnanawon actually topped the first of the two-stage Visayas qualifier last year by beating former Ronda winner Irish Valenzuela and Balir Ravina but suffered mechanical problems in the final stage that cost him a spot in the main race.

This time, Pagnanawon hopes he and his brothers make the cut in the country’s biggest cycling race staking P1 million to the champion courtesy of presentor LBC with sanctions from PhlCycling under its president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.