AFTER topping the 2017 Brunei Cycling Classic a couple of weeks ago, George Oconer of Go For Gold sets his sights on winning the one thing that has eluded him for years–the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017.
Oconer, 24, will be one of the riders to watch out for in the 14-stage race slated Feb. 4 to March 4 after ruling the one-day race in Bandar Seri Begawan and topping Ronda’s two qualifying races in Subic in November and Bacolod in December last year.
“I’ve always dreamed of topping the Ronda Pilipinas and I feel this year will be the best year to do it because I’m mentally and physically prepared now,” said Oconer, whose closest brush to winning it all came in 2015 when he finished behind two-time LBC Ronda champion Santy Barnachea,in Filipino.
Oconer’s team, Go for Gold, also impressed after it also won the team title in Brunei, underscoring its readiness to challenge the Ronda big guns.
“We’re a young team but we’re ready to race,” said Go for Gold team manager Eds Hualda, whose husband Ronnel, is also skippering the squad.
The other members of the Go for Gold team are Jerry Aquino, Jr., Jonel Carcueva, Elmer Navarro, Agustin Queremit, Ryan Cayubit and Ismael Grospe.
A top purse worth P1 million prize awaits the champion courtesy of presentor LBC and its major sponsors Mitsubishi, Petron, ASG Group, Dans360 and Donen with sanctions from PhlCycling under its president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
The other teams seeing action are Navy, Neopolitan, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Mindanao, South Luzon, Kinetix Lab-Army, Bike Extreme, Zambales, Salic and One Tarlac.
The main race starts on Feb. 4 with two stages in Ilocos Sur and will pass by Angeles (Feb. 8), Subic (Feb. 9), Lucena, Quezon (Feb. 12), Pili, Camarines Norte (Feb. 14 and 16), Daet (Feb. 17), Paseo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna (Feb. 19), Tagaytay and Batangas (Feb. 20), Calamba and Antipolo (Feb. 21), Bacolod, Don Salvador and San Carlos (Feb. 28) before wrapping up with a pair of stages in Iloilo City (March 3 and 4).