Comebackin’ Ronald Oranza reigns in Le Tour de Filipinas Stage 2

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Ronald Oranza is back in Le Tour de Filipinas and quickly showed he truly belongs.

Racing in the UCI-sanctioned tour after a four-year absence, Philippine Navy Standard Insurance stalwart Oranza marked his return by etching his name among the handful of Filipino lap winners with his victory in yesterday’s 157.90K Stage Two from Cabanatuan to Nueva Vizcaya’s capital.

Oranza broke away from the 16-man lead pack in the last three kilometers and out-pedalled his rivals heading home, clocking 3:48:34 to grab lap honors and the yellow jersey in the 2018 competition that was crippled by terrible traffic in Bulacan and Pampanga in Sunday’s Stage One.

“Wala akong pressure dito dahil lahat malalakas, lalo na yung foreigners (I take a no-pressure approach here considering everyone is strong, especially the foreigners,” said Oranza, who last saw action in the LTdF in 2014 before skipping the succeeding editions due to military training.

The 26-year-old Oranza towed three other Navymen in the Top 10 as No. 4 Jan Paul Morales, No. 6 Junrey Navarra, and No. 7 Joshua Carino, reached home three seconds after their skipper in a big group that also included another Pinoy, Chris Joven of Bike Xtreme Philippines and Korean Jung Haejon of Uijeongbu City and Eritrian Metkel Eyob, the  second and third placers, respectively.

Oranza, the reigning Ronda Pilipinas titlist, attacked 60K into the race at Carrangalan town, forming a two-man pace with Nelson Martin of 7-Eleven. At one point, the duo enjoyed a three-minute margin before the chase group that included Morales and Co. caught up on the descent out of Dalton Pass in Santa Fe town. They stuck together before Oranza stepped on the pedal again in Barangay Busilac.

“Nag-try lang bumanat sa last 3K, na-survive naman (I just tried to attack in the last 3K and came out ahead),” he said.

Oranza swept the two King of the Mountain summits on Dalton Pass, using familiarity with the mountain roads – virtually the same route previously they took in the Ronda race last March – to his advantage.

“Malaking tulong kasi ma-survive lang ang Dalton Pass, yung daanan papuntang Bayombong, rolling na yon eh, kaya familiar (It helped a lot because once you got pass Dalton Pass, it’s rolling and it’s familiar),” he said.

The 2018 LTdF finally hit the ground after abandoning its Quezon City to Palayan City opening stage due to unmanageable roads.