BAGUIO CITY—Rustom Lim of LBC-MVP Sports Foundation used his superb mountain-climbing skills to top Stage 4 and close in on leader Jan Paul Morales of Navy-Standard Insurance in yesterday’s Luzon Leg stage of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2016 that started in Dagupan, Pangasinan and ended at the Burnham Park here.
Lim outlasted early leaders Navy’s El Joshua Carino and Lloyd Lucien Reynante in the dreaded Benguet mountains and clocked two hours, 48 minutes and 16.99 seconds to win his first Baguio stage after three runners-up finishes to Junrey Navarra.
Carino wound up second place in 2:49:43.84, while Reynante, the Navy skipper, checked in at third in 2:49:45.78.
“I gave everything to catch up with them (Reynante and Carino). When I attacked and they didn’t do anything, I just kept my pace,” said Lim, who hails from Guimba, Nueva Ecija.
Lim thus earned 15 points for topping the stage that catapulted him from third before the stage to second with 44 points.
He also chopped the once mighty 16-point lead by Morales to just eight going into the fifth and final stage—a 2.70-km criterium—also at the Burnham Park.
Morales, the Mindanao Leg titlist, who ruled the first three Luzon stages, ended up fifth here with a clocking of 2:51:54.46 but still kept the LBC red jersey.
LBC-MVPSF’s George Oconer was at No. 4 at 2:50:45.11 and skidded to fourth overall with 40 points.
Morales said he’s smelling victory.
“I think I’m too far ahead and the criterium is my specialty,” said the 30-year-old Morales.
Indeed, the last stage will be Morales’ coronation ride as he will need just to finish fourth to clinch the title.
This year’s edition is using a point-system format wherein the stage winner earns 15 points, second 13, third 11 and fourth nine.
And since Morales has an eight-point lead over Lim, nine points would be enough to seal the crown.
The easier way is for Morales to just stay with Lim the rest of the way.
“I’ll just stick with him (Lim),” said Morales.
Lim though is far from surrendering.
“I’m not giving up,” said Lim.
Reynante and Carino were part of the eight-man breakaway group but made their move at Kennon.
After securing a 1-2 finish in the King of the Mountain race, Reynante and Carino slowed down and Lim, coming way out of nowhere, took advantage and blitzed past the two to steal the win.
Next to Morales, Lim and Oconer were Navymen John Mark Camingao and Carino at Nos 4 and 5 with 31 and 23 points, respectively.
Rounding up the Top 10 overall were LBC-MVPSF’s Ronald Lomotos (21), Reynante (19), Navy’s Joel Calderon (16), LBC-MVPSF’s Ronnilan Quita (15) and Navy’s Rudy Roque (14).
In the executive races, Romeo Camingao of Excellent Noodles (Master B Category), Raymond Pascual of Aboitiz Power (Under-23), Jermin Prado of Standard Insurance (women), Alfredo Vellila of JAC Motors (Manager’s category) and Resty Aragon of Excellent Noodles topped their respective divisions.
The event, organized by LBC Express, is sanctioned by PhilCycling and sponsored by Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, Petron and Versa Radio-Tech 1 Corp. with Maynilad and NLEX as minor sponsors.
