By Joey Villar
LUCENA CITY — Jonel Carcueva of Go for Gold went to the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas with a dream of becoming champion. The 26-year-old Medenilla, Cebu native could go home realizing it.
Mr. Carcueva delivered a performance to remember to finish seventh in Stage Five in five hours, 17 minutes and 49 seconds and snatch the overall individual lead from two-time champion Jan Paul Morales of Excellent Noodles in the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas here.
Joshua Mari Bonifacio, 23, made his presence felt by snaring his first stage win in 5:15:59, ahead of Navy Standard Insurance’s El Joshua Carino and Go for Gold’s Ronnilan Quita, who checked in at second and third in 5:16:07 and 5:17:44, respectively.
Mr. Carcueva, who made a living dancing before taking up the sport, showed spectacular skills in the Atimonan Zigzag Park, or “Tatlong Eme (Three Ms),” particularly in the downhill path to leave Mr. Morales and the rest of the big guns behind.
When he reached the arc at the finish, Carcueva had already eaten up enough minutes to snare the overall individual general classification lead in 15:02:52, and overhauling a lead of more than two minutes by Mr. Morales, who fell to second in 15:04:09.
“I’m dreaming of becoming a champion this year,” said Mr. Carcueva, whose best finish was sixth overall four years ago.
Mr. Carcuva’s surprise emergence shook up the top 10 as Mervin Corpuz of Excellent Noodles skid to No. 3 from No. 2 with a 15:04:29, Daniel Ven Carino jumped No. 4 from No. 13 with a 15:04:44; and John Mark Camingao of Navy Standard Insurance climbed to No. 5 from No. 14 with a 15:05:12.
Ronald Oranza of Navy Standard Insurance, the 2018 titlist, sputtered to No. 6 from No. 4 in 15:05:29; 2011 and 2015 Ronda winner Santy Barnachea falling to No. 7 from No.5 in 15:05:38; Ronald Lomotos of Navy Standard Insurance barging into No. 8 from No. 15; and Jericho Jay Lucero and Aidan Mendoza of Go for Gold slipping to Nos. 9 and 10 from Nos. 7 and 8 in 15:05:57 and 15:06:02, respectively.
Navy Standard Insurance also made its move in the team race where it stole the top spot from Excellent Noodles with a total time 42:32:26.
Go for Gold hopped to second in 42:33:25 while Excellent Noodles sputtered to third in 42:35:14.
The race resumes today with the 157.4km Lucena-Tagaytay Stage Six.
This annual event stakes a P3.5-million cash pot including P1 million to the champion courtesy of 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.