Galedo becomes second Filipino to win Le Tour de Filipinas

Team 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ 28-year-old rider capitalized on his familiarity of the ‘Northern Alps’ as he breezed through the punishing 134-kilometer climb between Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and Baguio City to finish second in Stage 4 after four hours, 33 minutes, and 56 seconds, 1:14 behind lap winner Ariya Phounsavath of CCN Continental Cycling Team. 

“Medyo nagkaroon na ng pain sa leg ko in the last 15 kilometers kaya hinayaan ko na si Ariya [Phounsavath] kasi malayo naman siya sa General Classification,” Galedo, who won Day 2’s Olongapo – Cabanatuan stage, told reporters after the race.

(I was already exhausted and feeling pain in my leg in the last 15 kilometers so I just let Ariya finish first since he’s far behind in the General Classification.)

Iranian climber Alireza Asgharzadeh placed third with a clocking of seventeen hours, 16 minutes and 17 seconds. CCN’s John Ebsen and Phounsavath finished fourth and fifth, respectively, coming in more than five minutes behind Galedo in overall clocking.

Iranians dominate anew; Ravina slapped with disqualification

Tabriz Shahrdari Ranking Continental Team’s Iranian riders have proved their mettle in mountain races anew as they launched their attack in Stage 4’s ascent to steal the Tour’s Team General Classification, registering 51:49:53, five minutes ahead of Stage 3 leaders and overall second placers CCN and 26:22 ahead of third place 7-Eleven.

Keen excitement enveloped the team category race as four riders off Tabriz finished in the Final Stage’s top 10, narrowly beating CCN who had three top 10 finishers in the brutal Stage 4 that saw nine riders surrendering along the way.

Meanwhile, 2012 Le Tour de Filipinas winner Baler Ravina’s campaign ended in a painful disqualification as he was caught holding on to his team vehicle, per official results sheet, but 7-Eleven Team Director Ric Rodriguez voiced out his dismay with the race officials’ decision.

“They have to open their eyes. Many of the riders and many of the teams are doing that,” Rodriguez said. “It didn’t happen under my watch however.”

Stage 3 second placer Baasankhuu Myagmarsuren of Mongolian Atilla Cycling Club was also disqualified for the same infraction. 

Come-from-behind win

After finishing 31^st in the opening stage that traversed the route between Clark Freeport and Olongapo, Galedo stole the show in Day 2 as he soloed into the finish line in Cabanatuan City, despite having no water, no team service vehicle around, and a busted sprocket in the lap’s final 25 kilometers.

The Quezon City-born rider took the backseat anew in Stage 3, finishing 32^nd to give way to his teammates who were catching up in the traffic-marred Cabanatuan-Bayombong route.

Galedo, however, came back in the Final Stage as he took the 900-meter long King of the Mountain sector in Bokod town and placed second in the stage’s tough 20-kilometer third climb that featured HORS-classified ascends — the toughest classification of climbs in cycling.

It was not enough for the Filipino, however, as the day’s third KOM winner Phounsavath beat him by one point in the overall Polkadot jersey classification.

Last year’s overall seventh placer Galedo was still in the lead approaching Baguio City but cramps took its toll in the homestretch that allowed CCN’s Laotian Phounsavath to cross the finish line one minute and 14 seconds ahead of him.

KSPO’s Sung Bae Park, meanwhile, is the tour’s sprint king, edging Galedo by five points. Brendon Meney of Satalyst Giant Racing Team was declared as this year’s Best Young Rider. – Rappler.com