Heat is on
TAGAYTAY—The MPTC Tour of Luzon got underway on Wednesday and the first of 14 stages saw three foreign riders occupy the podium.
In the top spot was 19-year-old Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai of Syria, who conspired with Russian teammate Nikita Shulchenko in breaking away from defending champion Joo Daeyeong and claiming the stage victory in three hours, 36 minutes and 35 seconds.
The two were literally touching hands as they approached the final meters, but Shulchenko backed off a bit to allow Alrefai to cross first and later savored the 1-2 finish while being showered with water by local firefighters in order to cool off.
“I wanted to give him the win, but he didn’t want to get the win,” said Alrefai, referring to Shulchenko, who had been part of a three-man breakaway group midway in the race with Joo.
Joo, who won last year’s eight-stage “great revival” by six seconds, made a solo breakaway before the two LCW cyclists caught up with him in the climb at Calaca town.
He wound up placing 15th, as part of the peloton.
It was a successful day for LCW, which has been reported as a team based in Dubai but owned by a Filipino based there. LCW also has Filipino cyclists on the roster, Marco Lumanog and Emmanuel Cabanas.
Finishing third was Briton Tyler Douglas Hannay, who rides for local squad Excellent Noodles, a consolation of sorts for the Filipino contingent after the initial stage of the derby on wheels.
Hannay was 1:56 back as part of a chase group that also included Filipinos Jericho Jay Lucero and Rench Michael Bondoc, both riding for Go for Gold Philippines.
Disappointing finish
Lucero and Bondoc were the best local finishers after the 150.1-kilometer ride that began at Calatagan, Batangas, and had two King of the Mountain stages before ending at the landmark Praying Hands.
Alrefai will be donning the symbolic yellow jersey with a four-second lead over Shulchenko despite registering identical clockings. Alrefai received a 10-second bonus for winning the stage, while Shulchenko got a six-second bonus.
Hannay is behind at 2:02, while Lucero and Bondoc both trail by 2:06.
Despite a disappointing finish, time bonuses put Joo at sixth, trailing by 2:17, while 22 riders, including Mervin Corpuz, are 2:20 back.
The Tour now heads to Clark, Pampanga, for Thursday’s second stage, a team time trial over 43 kilometers that finishes in New Clark City at Capas, Tarlac.
Not only did Alrefai win the lap and take the yellow jersey, but he also claimed the polka dot jersey as King of the Mountain and the best young rider of the stage.
“This is my first time representing the LCW team,” said Alrefai, who arrived in the country for the first time four days earlier to prepare for the Tour. “My teammates have been helping me a lot and this has given me a lot of opportunities, like competing in this race.”
******
Get real-time news updates: inqnews.net/inqviber
