Sorsogon City— Jan Paul Morales and Team Excellent Noodles conquered the technically challenging conditions with lower tire pressure settings to rule the first two stages the 2022 LBC Ronda Pilipinas here.
Morales, who previously raced for Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance where he claimed the overall individual runner-up honors two years ago, topped the individual time trials in 16 minutes and two seconds.
Ronald Oranza and Ronnilan Quita took second and third places, on behalf of Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance and Go For Gold, respectively, after following the game plan that Morales used in overcoming the difficult road conditions of this vibrant city.
The 36-year-old Morales, now riding and skippering Team Excellent Noodles, got comfortable in the early morning drizzle, coasting along the slippery asphalt roads with the tire pressure of his full-carbon bike tweaked to 100 pound per square inch (PSI).
He was 14 seconds ahead of Oranza, while Quita trailed by 16 at the end of Stage 1.
Later in afternoon, Morales increased his lead time after Team Excellent Noodles took the team time trial honors in Stage 2, with Go for Gold and the Navymen in second and third, respectively.
Morales’ strategy gave his tires more grip under wet conditions, allowing him to pick up the speed that many inexperienced participants were not able to achieve in the short 12.3-km route, which headed west out of the Sorsogon Provincial Capitol area and into the seaside Rampoleas Sorsogon Blvd.
Oranza and the Navymen used the same tactic to get some traction on the wet streets, but the sun was already up and the conditions were drier when they left the starting area. The mechanic’s effort to set the tires, also to 100 PSI, proved a little off.
Still, Oranza, the last rider to leave the starting point, got his needed lift from a tailwind that gave him enough speed to claim second spot behind Morales by 14 seconds.
“Ramdam ko iyung hangin nu’ng ako nasa start pa lang. Hindi ko na alam kung magpo-podium dahil tanghali na ako pinakawalan,” said Oranza.
The tire setting of Go For Gold rider Quita were much lower at 90 PSI and he got the desired effect when he earned a clocking that is 16 seconds behind Morales.
“Nakauna na kami. Siguro, sa darating na stage, depensa na lang kami. Mas maganda, iyung depensa na lang, kaysa ikaw iyung gumawa ng atake,” said Morales.
After two stages, Morales logged a lead time of 1:31.35 and is now 32 seconds in front of returning veteran Santy Barnachea and 39 ahead of Team Excellent Noodles’ teammate Ryan Tugawin.
Barnachea, who shelved plans to retire after forming Excellent Noodles, took fourth, followed in fifth and sixth by Go Fo Gold teammates Jonnel Carcueva and Marc Lago in the ITT.
The 46-year-old Barnachea, with his teammates Mar Francis Sudario and Tugawin, topped the TTT in one hour, 53 minutes and 33 seconds. They were 1:21 in front of Go For Gold, and 1:55 ahead of the Navymen.
Tugawin, who had the lead time midway in the ITT, landed eighth, followed by Joshua Mari Bonifacio in ninth.
Stage 3 on Saturday will be a 163-km long ride from Sorsogon City to Legazpi City.