BAGUIO CITY. – Ronald Lomotos of Navy Standard Insurance used the 10th and final stage as a victory ride Sunday to crown himself as champion of the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas race that ended at the Burnham Park here.
Lomotos, 27, checked with the group that included his team captain and closest pursuer Ronald Oranza at the end of the 3.1-kilometer criterium in an hour, 17 minutes and 50 seconds.
After 10 stages of more than 1,000 kilometers of flat roads and mountain passes from different cities and towns starting in Sorsogon, the San Felipe, Zambales native crowned himself the king of summer and won the top prize of P1 million.
“I still can’t believe I’m now LBC Ronda Pilipinas champion,” said Lomotos, who finished second overall behind Navy teammate George Oconer in the last edition of the annual cycling spectacle two years ago.
Lomotos had a total time of 35:31:38, edging Oranza for the most coveted prize as the latter wound up second in 35:31:59.
Oranza, 29, the 2018 winner who was met by his whole family here, settled for second place after coming into the penultimate Santiago, Isabela-Baguio Stage 10 as the red LBC jersey wearer.
As fate would have it, Oranza came seconds short of achieving his goal after Lomotos rose and delivered a performance to remember in the mountains of Kayapa and Bokod, Nueva Vizcaya.
Oranza pocketed P400,000 for his effort.
The two Ronalds capped what had been a dominant race by Navy Standard Insurance, which had three other riders finishing in the top 10–El Joshua Carino (No. 3, 35:50:32), Jeremy Lizardo (No. 4, 35:50:43) and John Mark Camingao (No. 10, 36:12:17).
The other top 10 finishers were Excellent Noodles’ Joshua Mari Bonifacio (35:51:46), Go for Gold’s Jonel Carcueva (35:53:57), Excellent Noodles’ Jan Paul Morales (35:55:23) and Joshua Pascual (35:56:34) and Team Nueva Ecija’s Marcelo Felipe (35:58:53).
Navy also claimed its seventh Ronda team crown with a total clocking of 103:56:27 while claiming other individual awards–Oranza (Twin Cycle Gear King of the Mountain), and Jeremy Lizardo (MVP Under-23 and Gogo Express Top Rookie).
The only trophy Navy failed to snare was the award that its patron sponsored–the Standard Insurance Sprint King plum–that went to Felipe.
Excellent Noodles, a team managed by Alex Billan, had an exceptional Ronda debut as it finished second in the team race in 35:56:34 while sending 12 of its riders to podium finishes, including six stage wins that was capped by Ryan Tugawin’s victorious Stage 10 effort in 1:17:15.
“Having riders in the podium finish in all 10 stages and ending up second overall is already a blessing,” said Billan, who has been competing and patronizing executive races before joining Ronda for the first time.
Oconer was second for the day while Go for Gold’s Ronnilan Quita was third in 1:17:16.
Excellent Noodles racing captain Santy Barnachea announced that he would retire for good after delaying it to lead his squad to a solid performance.
“I’m retiring after 25 years in cycling, I will focus on coaching,” said the 47-year-old two-time Ronda winner.
The annual event that staked a total cash pot worth P3.5 million cash pot was made possible by LBC Express, Inc., MVP Sports Foundation, Quad X, Smart, Twin Cycle Gear, Standard Insurance, Print2Go, Elves Bicycles, Elitewheels, Orome, Maynilad, PhilHydro, Garmin, Petron, Boy Kanin, Green Planet Bikeshop, Prolite, Fujiwara, Black Mamba Energy Drink, Lightwater, LBC Foundation, PhilCycling and the Games and Amusements Board.
