BAGO CITY—George Oconer of LBC-MVP Sports Foundation developmental team and Mindanao Leg champion Jan Paul Morales of Navy-Standard Insurance will be the cyclists to watch out for when the Visayas Leg of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2016 holds the Visayas Leg unfolds tomorrow here.
The 22-year-old Oconer and his young but talented LBC-MVPSF squad and the main Ronda delegation arrived here last night and is expected to challenge Morales and the seasoned Navymen for the title.
Oconer and his team didn’t participate in the Mindanao Leg held a month ago in Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro and Manolo Fortich and Malaybalay, Bukidnon after joining another race in Bicol.
“We’re eager to race,” said Oconer, who finished second to last year’s winner Santy Barnachea, fourth two years ago and third in the first-ever edition of this race.
Rustom Lim, Ronald Lomotos, Mark Julius Bonzo, and Jerry Aquino, Jr. are the other members of the team coached by former Olympian Norberto Oconer.
Morales topped the Mindanao Leg with relative ease, while seven of his Navy teammates including skipper Lloyd Lucien Reynante and Ronald Oranza wound up in the Top 10.
And Reynante knows they will have their hands full against Oconer and the other young guns.
“We knew all along it will be a different race come the Visayas Leg and we’re ready for whatever challenge we will face,” said Reynante, whose fellow Navymen arrived as early as two days ago.