Shulchenko chills it out in Stage 11, braces for possible title-clincher

Joo Dae-yeong (photo above) wins a first lap in what is already a failed title defense. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

SAN JUAN, La Union—Nikita Shulchenko treated Stage 11 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon on Sunday as a chill ride to basically brace for another test—and the latest shot at possibly putting this race to bed earlier than everyone expects.

As the Russian ace closes in on becoming the next champion of the summer cycling spectacle, the soon-to-be former winner, meanwhile, made sure he wouldn’t end this year’s edition without a lap victory.

Joo Dae-yeong, who won last year’s eight-stage revival of the event by just six seconds but is now out of the running, ruled the 151.7-kilometer journey from Candon in Ilocos Sur to here and celebrated in style—and cost him a few bucks.

Upon crossing the finish line in three hours, 19 minutes and 16 seconds, the South Korean descended from his bike and took a bow before an adoring crowd that had grown to appreciate the Gapyeong Cycling Team mainstay.

“There have been many fans sending messages [of support on social media] and asking for photos [before and after the race],” Joo, who was fined P1,950 for a ‘harmless’ but technically unsafe celebration, said. “Cycling culture here in the Philippines is really good

“There are many young riders and even women riders [who are really into the sport and are actually good].”

And while it was a big thing for Joo, Shulchenko quietly went about his business on Sunday, especially after a taxing effort in placing second in the punishing climb to Cervantes town on Saturday. He placed 52nd in this lap, 3:30 off Joo.

With an aggregate time of 32:57:30, Shulchenko lost a few seconds to Syrian teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai and Stage 10 winner Antoine Huby of 7-Eleven. Alrefai cut three seconds to trail by 3:41, while the Frenchman Huby ate two seconds to fall behind Shulchenko by 3:54.

Malaysian national team’s Muhammad Mazlin and Huby’s fellow 7-Eleven cyclist Mervin Corpuz worked their way inside the top five, with

Mazlin trailed by 5:21 from 8:36 and Corpuz 5:47 from 9:05 after a fifth-place finish in the stage.

Corpuz won a special “Candon Bypass Road Circuit King” and P35,000 from City Mayor Eric Singson.

The flat race served as a prelude to what is seen as a difficult Stage 12 on Monday, going from Agoo to the category two King of the Mountain climb at Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem, which will cover 141.4km and have the remaining 72 out of the original field of 89 riders enter the great cycling hotbed of Pangasinan.

This year’s derby on wheels has not been kind to Joo. Stage 1 saw him break away into the lead with a few kilometers left to the finish in Tagaytay from Calatagan, Batangas, before he was caught by the peloton.

Stage 3 saw the 29-year-old form a three-man breakaway with 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ Ronnilan Quita and MPT DriveHub’s Rustom Lim at Kiyang Climb in Nueva Vizcaya, only to see their lead over the peloton disappear for a bunch finish in Bayombong. INQ