Felipe sweeps mountain laps, tops Stage 2

BACOLOD, Philippines – Marcelo Felipe conquered the mountains of Don Salvador Benedicto to top Stage Two even as 7-Eleven teammate Boots Ryan Cayubit came in second to snatch the overall lead in the Visayas qualifier of the Ronda Pilipinas 2015 presented by LBC here yesterday.

The 25-year-old Felipe flashed his climbing skills to sweep all three King of the Mountain laps in the 156.6km Bacolod-Bacolod race considered as one of the toughest stages in this year’s fifth edition of the Ronda which offers a total purse of P5 million.

Felipe, a four-year Ronda veteran who hails from Nueva Ecija, clocked five hours, 2.12 minutes that propelled him from 18th overall to second heading to the third and final stage today.

He appeared poised to snatch the LBC red jersey, symbolic of the overall leadership, after posting a huge nine-minute lead over the chasing pack but slowed down in the final stretch.

That enabled Cayubit, 23, to close the gap and finish just less than three minutes behind in 5:04.25 that later proved enough to catapult him from fifth to the overall lead.

“I wasn’t expecting it but I’m taking the challenge,” said Cayubit, who turned in an impressive stint in the 2011 Ronda edition.

Despite settling for second overall, Felipe said he was just too happy to nail his first ever lap victory.

“This is a happy experience for me, a dream come true,” said Felipe moments after raising his arms in triumph in front of the big crowd at the new Bacolod City Government Center.

Reimon Lapaza, already seeded in the championship round, still joined the qualifiers and clocked 5:08.08 to snatch third place.

“I was just here to help my brother (Cesar Jr.). I also want to train going into the main event,” said the 28-year-old Lapaza.

Jay Pagnanawon, who topped the Dumaguete-Sipalay Stage One Wednesday, failed to keep up with Felipe and the rest and struggled to finish 25 minutes off the pace.

Dominic Perez was the first to make a breakaway attempt, ruling the first intermediate sprint. But he lost steam as a 10-man pack that included Felipe and Cayubit, Valenzuela, Ravina and last year’s winner Lapaza and younger brother Cesar caught up with him.

Felipe then made his move approaching the first of three ascents to rule the first KOM race and seize the early lead, about a minute and a half ahead of Junrey Gueverra, a former Ronda KOM winner.

The Visayas elims ends today with the 123.2-km Stage Three that will start and end in front of the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol.

After the grueling Stage Two, the riders clash in a virtual sprint race as they tackle an all-flat terrain that will pass by Talisay City, Enrique Magalona, Victorias, Cadiz and then back.

“Stage Three is a sprinter’s delight,” said race director Ric Rodriguez.

The race is presented by LBC and supported by major sponsors the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, Petron and Mitsubishi and minor sponors Cannondale, Standard Insurance, Tech1 Corp., Maynilad and NLEX and sanctioned by PhilCycling under Cavite Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino with TV5 and Sports Radio as media partners.