Haharurot na ang 88 riders sa pangunguna nina returning champions Santy Barnachea, Reimon Lapaza at Mark Galedo sa P1M 10th LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2020 sa darating na Pebrero 23-Marso 4 na sisimulan sa Sorsogon at matatapos sa Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Ibabandera ni Barnachea, 43, at nagwagi noong 2011 at 2015, ang Scratch It habang si Lapaza, 2014 titlist, ang tatangan sa Celeste Cycles PH-Devel Project Pro Team, at si Galedo na 2012 winner ang aangkla sa 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 ng Roadbike Philippines.
Makakaharap din nila 2018 champion Ronald Oranza at 2016-2017 title-holder Jan Paul Morales na mga mangunguna sa Standard Insurance (Navy) kasama sina El Joshua Carino, George Oconer, Ronald Lomotos at John Mark Camingao na mga consistent top 10 finishers sa mga nakaraang edisyon.
Ayon kay Ronda Pilipinas chairman Moe Chulani nitong Martes, ibinalik nila ang all-Pinoy race ngayong edition matapos tulungan ang PhilCycling sa five-stage UCI-sanctioned race noong nakaraang taon para sa kanilang Olympic quest.
“The essence of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas really is giving Filipinos, especially the younger ones dreaming to become big in the sports of cycling someday, an avenue for them to make their dreams a reality,” sambit ni Chulani.
Dagdag pa niya, “We’re bringing the LBC Ronda Pilipinas back to our countrymen in our 10th anniversary celebration because this is really for them.”
Ibinahagi naman ni Bernadette Guerrero, bagong LBC Ronda Pilipinas executive project director na 11 teams ng walong cyclists ang magtatapat sa 10-stage race na sisimulan sa Sorsogon sa Peb. 23 at matatapos sa Vigan sa Marso 4 sa race na handog ng LBC kasama ang Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation.
Suportado rin ang race ng Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX/SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation at PhilCycling.
Katuwang din sa paligsahan ang Go for Gold, Bicycology Shop (Army), Bike Xtreme, Tarlac Central Luzon, Ilocos Sur, South Luzon-Batangas at Nueva Ecija.
“It is just fitting that we celebrate the LBC Ronda Pilipinas’ 10th anniversary with 10 stages and several champions like Santy Barnachea, Reimon Lapaza and Mark Galedo making a memorable Ronda comeback,” saad ni Guerrero.
Matapos ang 137-kilometer Stage One, magpapatuloy ang Ronda na may 163km Sorsogon Legazpi Stage Two sa Feb. 24, 126.9km Legazpi-Naga Stage Three sa Feb. 25, 212.5km Daet-Lucena Stage Four sa Feb. 26, at 155.4km Lucena-Antipolo Stage Five sa Feb. 27 bago ang one-day break.
Balik ang Ronda na may 128.9km Lingayen-Lingayen Stage Six sa Feb. 29, 171.9km Lingayen-Nueva Ecija Stage Seven sa March 1, 177.1km Nueva Ecija-Baguio Stage Eight sa March 2, 176.4km Pugo, La Union-Vigan Stage Nine bago ang Stage 10 criterium sa Vigan sa March 4. (JAT)