By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
BAGUIO CITY – Korean Joo Dae Yeong conquered the feared mountains of Benguet and ruled the revived 2025 MPTC Tour of Luzon just the way great champions had done in the past on Thursday, May 1.
In what could go down as one of the closest races in Tour history, Joo deservedly crowned himself champion of the iconic event after surviving a rash of challenges, not to mention concerted efforts to topple him after earning the yellow jersey right after opening of the 8-stage saga on wheels.
The latest challenge was a busted rear tire heading to the country’s Summer Capital but the 28-year-old rider of the Gapyeong Cycling Team willed his way to clock 4 hours, 21 minutes and 31 seconds in the challenging 177.54-kilometer Stage 8 that started in Lingayen, Pangasinan and ended inside Camp John Hay here.
It was enough for the two-time national Korean champion to capture the overall individual title, accumulating 22 hours, 21 minutes and eight seconds in a journey that started in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and passed by Ilocos Sur, La Union, Tarlac, Pampanga, Pangasinan and Benguet.
For his brilliance and courage, Joo pocketed the P1 million top purse.
So impressive was Joo that he clung to the yellow jersey despite the absence of three of his four teammates who were involved in a crash in Stage 6.
“I’m not thinking that much about the yellow jersey. I just kept on going,” said Joo. “There are many Filipino strong riders and I just followed (today). I just want to finish well.”
Standard Insurance’s Jan Paul Morales, a multiple champion in Ronda Pilipinas, took advantage of his familiarity of the route from the dreaded Lion’s Head leading to the finish line to finish second behind lap winner Joshua Pascual of Excellent Noodles.
But his lap time of 4:18:34 was only six seconds slower than Joo for the individual general classification in a heartbreaking finish.
Still, Morales was gracious in defeat.
“Syempre may konting panghihinayang. Masaya na rin ako sa performance ko kahit may iniinda,” said Morales, who managed to come back in the race after a crash in the last 400 meters of Stage 1 in Paoay.
“Eto kasing road race, anybody’s race eh. Sabi ko kapag nag-champion ako, magre-retire na ako. Pero hindi pa ako nagcha-champion, so may isa pa ako,” added the 39-year-old.
Meanwhile, Joo remained at the peloton throughout the stage, and even went as far as the fourth group heading to the crucial 10 kilometers at the famous Lion’s Head along Kennon Road.
At one point, MPT Drivehub’s Mervin Corpuz took the provisional overall lead by 2:30 minutes after being part of the nine-rider lead pack at the flat roads of Pangasinan, before fading away in the last 15 kms.
Corpuz, who started the day at second overall and barely two minutes behind Joo, plummeted to 38th overall.
Pascual, for his part, came out of nowhere to shock the field by crowning himself the “Eagle of the Mountain”, and even taking the lap victory in 4:16:14.
“Ito na siguro ang biggest victory ko. Pangarap kong mag-champion,” said the Nueva Vizcaya native.
Completing the overall Top 10 were third placer Jonel Carcueva of MPT Drivehub (22:22:00), Victoria Sports’ Nichol Pareja (22:22:02), Standard Insurance’s Jeremy Lizardo (22:23:40), 7-eleven Roadbike’s Rench Michael Bondoc (22:24:15), Go for Gold’s James Paul Escumbien (22:24:42) and Jerico Lucero (22:24:50), Standard Insurance’s Ronald Oranza (22:24:53) and MPT Drivehub’s Rustom Lim (22:25:50).
Meanwhile, MPT Drivehub grabbed the team general classification with 88:22:02 to go home with the P1 million cash purse, with Standard Insurance placing second after registering 11 seconds slower.
