Oconer leads favorites as Ronda Pilipinas returns

MANILA, Philippines – The LBC Ronda Pilipinas will hold its 11th edition with 13 teams seeing action in the 10-stage race unfurling in Sorsogon City on March 11 and concluding in mountaintop Baguio on March 22.

George Oconer will spearhead heavy favorite Navy Standard Insurance and defend the title he won in the 10th anniversary edition of this annual cycling spectacle two years ago.

Ronald Oranza, the 2019 champion, will skipper the loaded Navy squad that is also composed of El Joshua Carino, Ronald Lomotos, Junrey Navarra, John Mark Camingao, Esteve Hora, and Jeremy Lizardo.

Other teams to watch out for are Go for Gold, which will be spearheaded by Dominic Perez, Jonel Carcueva and Boots Ryan Cayubit, and Excellent Noodles, which will be bannered by Santy Barnachea and Jan Paul Morales, who have won a combined five Ronda crowns.

Also seeing action are Philippine Army, Team Nueva Ecija, Dreyna, Eagle Cement, Champ Café, Bike Kings Laguna, Vantage Ilocos Norte, VPharma, Team Quezon Province, and Team Ilocos Sur.

A total of P3.5 million will be given away as cash prizes with P1 million going to the overall individual champion, P400,000 to the runner-up, and P200,000 to the second runner-up.

The team champion gets P200,000 in this race presented by LBC Express, Inc. and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, Quad X, Twin Cycle Gear, Standard Insurance, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad and Garmin.

Petron Boy Kanin, Green Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Black Mamba, Lightwater and LBC Foundation are also backing the event along with the PhilCycling and Games and Amusements Board.

Ronda will unfold with a Stage 1 Individual Time Trial and Team Time Trial on March 11 in Sorsogon followed by the 163-kilometer Sorsogon-Legazpi City Stage 3 on March 12 and 189.1km Legazpi-Daet Stage 4 on March 13.

It will be followed by the 212km Daet-Lucena Stage 5 on March 14 and 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay Stage 6 on March 15.

After a one-day break, the race will wind up with the 180.4km Tarlac-Baler Stage 7 on March 17, 174.4km Baler-Echgue, Isabela Stage 8 on March 18, 193.2km Santiago, Isabela-Baguio Stage 9 on March 19 and Baguio City Stage 10 criterium on March 20. – Rappler.com