The PLDT-Spyder team took the top spot in the overall team classification after one of its riders, Mark Julius Bonzo, won stage nine of the Ronda Pilipinas 2013 yesterday from Mangaldan, Pangasinan to Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Bonzo, the fourth rider from PLDT-Spyder to win a stage in this prestigious cycling event, topped the longest stage of the race by finishing the 193.9-kilometer course in four hours, 25 minutes and 25 seconds. He actually escaped a photo finish against Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance’s George Oconer, who eventually finished second. Tomas Martinez of Team Tarlac placed third.
The other PLDT-Spyder riders who won a leg in this 16-stage tour were El Joshua Carino (stage 5), Ronald Oranza (stage 7) and Rustom Lim (stage 8).
American Vinyl-LPGMA’s top gun Irish Valenzuela, who finished fifth yesterday, still remains the overall individual leader trailed by Oranza and Road Bike Philippines’ Ronald Gorantes. Former Ronda champion Santy Barnachea of Philippine Navy Standard Insurance is at fourth.
American Vinyl-LPGMA trails PLDT-Spyder in the overall team standings followed by the Philippine Navy Standard Insurance at third.
Meanwhile, Y101 FM Cebu’s Emelito Atilano settled for sixth place yesterday with a time of 4:24.43 while Marvin Tapic, also of Y101 FM Cebu, is at ninth place in the overall individual classification with a total time of 34:38.47, despite finishing at 55th in yesterday’s leg.
The 10th stage will be an 82-kilometer race from Vigan to Laoag City.