GO for Gold is fielding in a developmental team in the Ronda Pilipinas 2018 presented by LBC with the hopes of giving promising young racers a chance to hone their skills and potentially excel in the future.
Veteran campaigner Ronnel Hualda, former team captain of the Go for Gold’s main team, will skipper the team composed of youthful riders that included Ismael Grospe, Jr. Ronilan Quita, Roel Quitoy, Jay Lampawog and Bryant Sepnio.
The other members of the squad are Joshua Mari Bonifacio and Jericho Jay Lucero in this race presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, CCN, Petron, Versa.ph, 3Q Sports Event Management, Inc., Boy Kanin, Franzia, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, SH+, Guerciotti, Prolite, Green Planet, Maynilad, NLEX Cycling, Lightwater, LBC Foundation and PhilCycling.
“This is a team full of promise because all of our riders have a potential to really blossom if given a chance,” said Hualda.
Apart from its youthful squad, Go for Gold has also fielded a team that will go for nothing less than the individual and team championship.
George Oconer will spearhead Go for Gold’s main team that also included Boots Ryan Cayubit, John Renee Mier, Jerry Aquino, Jr. Elmer Navarro, Jonel Carcueva, Orlie Villanueva and Arjay Arbasto.
The riders to watch out for are defending champion Jan Paul Morales and last year’s runner-up Rudy Roque of Navy-Standard Insurance, two-time Ronda champion Santy Barnachea of Team Franzia, 2012 titlist Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam, and last year’s third placer Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology.
A cool P1 million will be at stake in this 12-stage race that will be jumpstarted by the 40-kilometer Vigan criterium Stage 1 on March 3 and the 155.4km Vigan-Pagudpud Stage 2 the next day.
The race resumes with the 223.5km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage 3 on March 5, 135.2km Tuguegarao-Isabela Stage 4 on March 6, 179.4km Isabela-Nueva Ecija Stage 5 on March 8, 111.8km Nueva Ecija-Tarlac Stage 6 on March 9, 31.5km Individual Time Trial Stage 7 and 42.14km Team Time Trial Stage 8 both in Tarlac on March 10 and 11.
Winding up the race are the 207.2km Silang-Batangas-Tagaytay Stage 9 on March 15, 147.8km Tagaytay-Calaca Stage 10 on March 16, 92.72km Calaca-Calaca Stage 11 on March 17 and the 50km Filinvest Alabang criterium Stage 12 on March 18.
Other teams competing are the Tarlac Province, South Luzon, Ilocos Sur Province, Nueva Ecija and Team Bike Xtreme.
