Dutch completes wire-to-wire triumph

LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines  —  Dutch Jeroen Meijers did an excellent job shadowing and keeping in check closest pursuer Singaporean Goh Choon Huat in the fifth and final stage to complete a virtual wire-to-wire victory in the 10th Le Tour de Filipinas that ended here yesterday.

The 26-year-old Meijers, riding for Taiyuan Miogee Cycling Team of China, stuck with Goh (Terrenganu Inc. TSG Cycling Team of Malaysia) in the peloton all the day and went on to claim his first victory since ruling an event in France three years ago.

Meijers and Goh checked in with identical clockings of three hours, 34 minutes and 48 seconds in the 138.1-kilometer Stage Five, which passed through the beaches of Donsol.

After five grueling stages that started in Tagaytay, passed through routes in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Albay, Sorsogon and ended in this lovely city with the majestic view of Mayon Volcano, Meijers emerged on top with an aggregate time of 20:38:07.

It won the Tilburg native the elegant champion’s trophy, the top purse worth $2,725 (P141,700) and 40 ranking points for his country from the International Cycling Union (UCI).

It was Meijers’ biggest victory since also topping a 2.2 race three years ago in Bretagne, France.

The last major finish for Meijers was third overall in the Tour of Taiyuan in China just three weeks ago, making this recent feat another special moment for the Dutch.

“Every victory is special,” said Meijers. “This is the first one outside Europe so I will remember this for a long time.”

Meijers, who arrived in the country less than a week before the race, made his presence felt as early as Stage One Friday when he took control in the dreaded climb in Sampaloc Road in Talisay to conquer the 129.5km opening stage in Tagaytay City.

The next day, Meijers faced a tough challenge from Goh but hung onto the lead at the end of the Pagbilao-Daet Stage Two.

And he never relinquished the lead from there, smartly staying close with Goh the rest of the way.

Goh ended up at second in 20:38:52, ahead of eventual third Aussie Angus Lyons of Oliver’s Real Food Racing of Australia in 20:39:45 in this five-stage race sponsored by Air21, Cargohaus, NMM, Ufreight and SPL and backed by the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office with Onesports by Cignal as official coveror.

Rounding out the top were 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines’ Daniel Habtemichael (20:40:20), PGN Road Cycling Team’s Sandy Nur Hasan (20:40:32) and Aiman Cahyadi (20:40:39), Team Ukyo’s Kohei Yokotsuka (20:40:39) and Naoya Yoshioka (20:40:41) and Team Sapura Cycling’s Muhsin Al Redha Misbah (20:40:42) and Taiyuan Miogee’s Li Shuai (20:40:43).

Li dislodged Filipino Marcelo Felipe of 7Eleven from 10th place via countback since the Chinese finished better in Stage Four the day before.

Felipe, however, ended up the highest placed Filipino at 11th ahead of Mark Galedo of Celeste Cycles Bianchi Phls – the 2014 winner – at 15th and Go for Gold’s Jonel Carcueva at 16th.