By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – LCW UAE Cycle’s Ivan Anisimov took the spotlight in a mass finish to clinch Stage 4 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 that started at the Bongabon Town Arch in Nueva Ecija and ended in front of the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Capitol here on Saturday, May 2.
The 23-year-old Russian was part of the main group that reeled in defending champion Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong Cycling Team and MPT Drivehub’s Rustom Lim before chasing down solo leader Ronnilan Quita of 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike in the last 30 kilometers.
He clocked 3 hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds, finishing alongside 32 other riders that included teammates Nikita Shulchenko, who retained the yellow jersey, and Stage 1 winner Yousef Ibraheim Alrefai.
Seoul Cycling Team’s Lee Jung Hoon and Quita came in second and third with similar times.
“I feel good. This is a good position for my team,” said Anisimov, who still managed to catch up despite a minor crash that broke his shifters some 25 kilometers from the finish.
“I didn’t think about the accident. Maybe today is my best finish,” he added.
The stage took the remaining 83 riders to a 165.8-kilometer mountainous route featuring three climbs including the Category 1 ascent in Dalton Pass, testing their climbing skills and endurance.
The sweltering conditions, with the heat index soaring to 44 degrees Celsius, also posed a major challenge, especially for foreign riders unaccustomed to the tropical climate.
Shulchenko, who will be wearing the yellow jersey for the second straight time, had a cumulative time of 10:59:19, while Alrefai was 49 seconds behind at 11:00:08. Stage 3 winner Dave Montemayor from Go for Gold was third overall with 11:01:23.
Joo, who crossed the finish line just 13 seconds behind Anisimov, slipped from 12th overall to 24th with 11:02:38.
Joo launched a move following a lengthy solo breakaway from Lim and Quita near the second ascent, but faded on the third and final climb, about 40 kilometers from the finish.
Also making to the overall top 10 are Excellent Noodles’ Sumiso Basalan (11:01.28), 7-Eleven’s Mervin Corpuz (11:01:34) and Antoine Huby (11:01:35), Standard Insurance’s Dave Cangayao (11:01:35), 7-Eleven’s Ronnilan Quita (11:01:41), Excellent Noodles’ Douglas Tyler Hannay (11:02:10) and Go for Gold’s Rench Bondoc (11:02:14).
In the team race, Go for Gold maintained its lead with an aggregate 45:05:44, followed by 7-Eleven and Standard Insurance at 11 seconds and 50 seconds behind.
