Jan Paul Morales is set for his quest to claim his third straight title, as the Ronda Pilipinas kicks off tomorrow at the historic city of Vigan.
If he is successful, the Navy-Standard Insurance standard bearer would become the most titled rider of the biggest cycling race in the country.
The 32-year-old shares in Filipino, "I’m not guaranteeing it but I will do my best to win the title again this year."
Defending the title will not be easy with a strong field of cyclists ready for the challenge, led by former champions Santy Barnachea of Team Franzia and Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam, as well as the likes of George Oconer of Go For Gold, last year's third placer Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology, Bike Xtreme's Jaybop Pagnanawon, Go for Gold Developmental's Ronnel Hualda, and Morales' teammates in Navy-Standard Insurance Rudy Roque and Ronald Oranza.
Barnachea is a two-time Ronda champion himself, winning the both the inaugural and the 2015 edition, while Valenzuela won in 2012. Both cyclists return after missing the last two editions for a variety of reasons.
Oconer returns after missing last season for national team commitments as he prepared for the SEA Games. He is the man Morales thinks will be his biggest rival that can deny him the three-peat.
The 2018 edition of Ronda Pilipinas will commence with a 40-kilometer criterium that will around the historic city, specifically Calle Crisologo, Quezon Avenue, A. Reyes, and delos Reyes streets.
The next few days sees the Ronda hit the road with the 155.4-km Vigan-Pagudpud Stage 2, then the 223.5-km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage 3 and the 135.2km Tuguegarao-Isabela Stage 4.
After a one-day break on March 7, Ronda resumes with the 179.4-km Isabela-Nueva Ecija Stage 5, and the 111.8-km Nueva Ecija-Tarlac Stage 6.
Tarlac would then host the Ronda's two time trial stages, the 31.5-km Individual Time Trial for Stage 7 on March 10 and the 42.14-km Team Time Trial for Stage 8 on March 11.
Ronda would then finish strong with the 207.2-km Silang-Batangas-Tagaytay Stage 9 on March 15, the 147.8-km Tagaytay-Calaca Stage 10 on March 16, the 92.72-km Calaca-Calaca Stage 11 on March 17, and the final stage, a 50-km criterium within the Filinvest Alabang complex on March 18.
Ronda Pilipinas is presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, 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.
If he is successful, the Navy-Standard Insurance standard bearer would become the most titled rider of the biggest cycling race in the country.
The 32-year-old shares in Filipino, "I’m not guaranteeing it but I will do my best to win the title again this year."
Defending the title will not be easy with a strong field of cyclists ready for the challenge, led by former champions Santy Barnachea of Team Franzia and Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam, as well as the likes of George Oconer of Go For Gold, last year's third placer Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology, Bike Xtreme's Jaybop Pagnanawon, Go for Gold Developmental's Ronnel Hualda, and Morales' teammates in Navy-Standard Insurance Rudy Roque and Ronald Oranza.
Barnachea is a two-time Ronda champion himself, winning the both the inaugural and the 2015 edition, while Valenzuela won in 2012. Both cyclists return after missing the last two editions for a variety of reasons.
Oconer returns after missing last season for national team commitments as he prepared for the SEA Games. He is the man Morales thinks will be his biggest rival that can deny him the three-peat.
The 2018 edition of Ronda Pilipinas will commence with a 40-kilometer criterium that will around the historic city, specifically Calle Crisologo, Quezon Avenue, A. Reyes, and delos Reyes streets.
The next few days sees the Ronda hit the road with the 155.4-km Vigan-Pagudpud Stage 2, then the 223.5-km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage 3 and the 135.2km Tuguegarao-Isabela Stage 4.
After a one-day break on March 7, Ronda resumes with the 179.4-km Isabela-Nueva Ecija Stage 5, and the 111.8-km Nueva Ecija-Tarlac Stage 6.
Tarlac would then host the Ronda's two time trial stages, the 31.5-km Individual Time Trial for Stage 7 on March 10 and the 42.14-km Team Time Trial for Stage 8 on March 11.
Ronda would then finish strong with the 207.2-km Silang-Batangas-Tagaytay Stage 9 on March 15, the 147.8-km Tagaytay-Calaca Stage 10 on March 16, the 92.72-km Calaca-Calaca Stage 11 on March 17, and the final stage, a 50-km criterium within the Filinvest Alabang complex on March 18.
Ronda Pilipinas is presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment