SORSOGON — Ronald Oranza and Jan Paul Morales of Standard Insurance-Navy will be the riders to watch when the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 10th anniversary race unfurls on Sunday at the Baywalk here.
Oranza, the 2018 champion, vows to reclaim the crown he lost to Spanish Francisco Mancebo in last year’s race. Meanwhile, Morales, the 2016 and 2017 winner, shoots for his third crown in this annual race staking P1 million to the general classification winner.
“’Yung goal namin is maging positive at matuto sa experience namin last year,” said the 27-year-old Oranza, a native of Villasis, Pangasinan.
Morales, 34, likewise thinks he has a legitimate chance at snaring his third crown, which would make him the most titled Filipino rider in Ronda history.
“Maganda naging preparation namin this year, trabaho lang. Feeling ko, maganda ang chance ko this year,” said Morales.
Morales, however, said he doesn’t mind backing up Oranza or any Standard Insurance teammate in this event presented by LBC and backed by the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation.
Standard Insurance has fielded a powerhouse roster that is also composed of former Le Tour champion El Joshua Carino; many-time King of the Mountain winner Junrey Navara; and George Oconer, Ronald Lomotos, and John Mark Camingao.
“Kung ako nasa harap, ako na ‘yun. Pero hindi ako magdadalawang isip na tulungan din mga kasamahan ko,” said Morales.
Both Oranza and Morales admitted, though, that this year’s edition should be one of the toughest, if not the toughest, races in Ronda. Three more ex-titlists are joining — Santy Barnachea of Scratch It, Reimon Lapaza of Celeste, and Mark Galedo of 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines.
“Ito na siguro ‘yung pinaka-malalim na field na nakalaban namin kumpara sa nakaraang mga taon,” said Morales.
Other teams seeing action are Go for Gold, Bicycology-Army, Bike Xtreme, Tarlac/Central Luzon, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Sur, and South Luzon-Batangas.
Stage One of this race supported by Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, Spyder, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX-SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation and PhilCycling is a 129.5km lap that will go in and out of Sorsogon.
