Oranza takes Stage 2 Ronda lead

Stage 2 Ronda Pilipinas action

Ronald Oranza snatched the symbolic red jersey after claiming over 155-km Stage 2 of the 2018 edition of the Ronda Pilipinas presented by LBC earlier this morning in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Oranza made it back-to-back stage conquests, joining a breakaway group early on in the race, before making his move in the final three-kilometer stretch to secure the stage victory in three hours and 34.13 minutes, a day after ruling the Vigan criterium that opened the Tour.

His Navy-Standard Insurance teammate Rudy Roque, CCN Superteam's Sherwin Carrera, and Go For Gold's George Oconer finished in second, third, and fourth, respectively after clocking the same time.

On his title aspirations, the Villasis, Pangasinan native shares in Filipino, "It's too early, but I'm glad to be up there."


The 25-year-old is now the overall leader with an aggregate time of 4:45:14, which 48 seconds faster than Oconer heading into the 223.5-km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage 3, the longest amongst the 12 stages that comprises this year's edition of Ronda Pilipinas.

As for Oconer, he is just glad to remain within striking distance of the leaders, noting that he just needs to be smart in making a move atop the leaderboard.

Carrera is now in third place in the overall classification with a time of 4:47.70, with Joshua Mari Bonifacio of Go for Gold Developmental moving up to fifth overall with 4:47:56.

Other early contenders include:

6th: Archie Cardana (Navy-Standard Insurance) 4:50:20
7th: Michael Ochoa (Bike Xtreme) 4:50:20
8th: Reynaldo Navarro (Army-Bicycology) 4:50:27
10: Jonel Carcueva (Go for Gold) 4:51:47

Defending champion Jan Paul Morales was reined in by the opposition, finishing alongside a sixteen-man group that finished in thirteenth place. His 3:40:17 time dropped him in the overall classification to ninth place at 4:51:23.

Former champions Santy Barnachea and Irish Valenzuela are still further back, with the Team Franzia skipper in 19th at 4:53:12 and the CCN Superteam skipper in 27th at 4:53:16.

Navy-Standard Insurance remains the standard bearer in the team classification, toting a 19:14:44 time with the surprising Go for Gold Developmental team in second place at 19:24:34, 18 seconds ahead of their sister team Go for Gold.

Ronda Pilipinas is presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, Filinvest, 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, with a million pesos at stake for the champion.