Marlboro Tour Philippines: 5-01-97
J Cruz
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MANILA TIMES May 1, 1997
SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya--The four-cornered battle for the individual
championship tightens as the 1997 Marlboro Tour goes down to its last
391.2 kilometers.
With just a precarious 36 seconds separating Victor Espiritu of the
Philippine team, Carlo Guieb of Northern Luzon, Placido Valdez of Nueva
Ecija and Wong Kam Po of Hong Kong, an all-out effort is expected from
every contender in the steep and dangerous but relatively short Solano,
Nueva Vizcaya to Banaue, Ifugao stage.
Guieb, a Lamut, Nueva Vizcaya native, holds a slight advantage over
his rivals as today's 70.5-km. route is said to be his domain.
<<Guieb Tagalog quote deleted>>
Guieb, 25 seconds behind over all leader Espiritu, suffered four flat
tires but he repeatedly caught up with the main pack each time he fell
back. He last rejoined the peloton at the mountains of Rosario, 30
kilometers away from the finish line.
Espiritu, who donned the yellow jersey for the fourth straight day,
tried to distance himself from the three cyclists nipping at his heels
as he broke away early. Korean Ji Sung-hwang, however, took the stage
win in the final stretch.
The 21-year-old Espiritu took advantage of a 600-meter stretch of
rough road, 125 kilometers into the race, to pull away from the 24-man
lead group. He was joined in front by Nueva Ecija's Neil Barlis and
Pangasinan's Edwin Bayuga but the trio were eaten up by the peloton
towed by Wong and Koreans Ji Sung Hwang and Jun Dae Hong, 15-kilometers
away from finish.
Ji, who came from as far back as three minutes behind, pulled away
for good with three and a half kilometers remaining to add one more
green jersey to his collection of six.
The 25-year-old Korean already won six stages and the individual
time trial prologue in Cagayan de Oro City. The only other cyclist to
have won six stages was Manolito Moring, 20 years ago.
Espiritu, however, is confident he will retain the yellow jersey
after today's stage.
Erstwhile regional team leader Pangasinan dropped to second place,
three minutes and three seconds behind the Guieb-led Northern Luzon
squad.
In the international team competition, Korea managed to slice the RP
team's lead down to a manageable two minutes and 13 seconds after
yesterday's lap. Despite registering the same time yesterday, Wong
gained five seconds due to his third place finish and is now 36 ticks
behind Espiritu.
Valdez, who paced himself yesterday after attacking the previous two
stages, remained at third place, 35 seconds behind.
After Tuesday's 234.9 kilometer Laoag City to Gattaran, Cagayan
stage, the RP team posted an eight minutes and 16 seconds advantage but
Enrique Domingo was penalized five minutes for clinging on a neutral
vehicle during the race.
MANILA TIMES SPORTS
Marlboro Tour '97
Leaders unchanged as SoKor wins stage
By Frederick Nasiad
Contributing Editor
Overall Standings
1. Espiritu, Victor,
Philippines, 52:07:39;
2. Guieb, Carlo,
NLuzon, 25 secs. behind;
3. Valdez, Placido,
Nueva Ecija, 35 secs. behind;
4. Wong, Kam Po,
Hongkong, 36 secs. behind;
5. Dolosa, Renato,
SLuzon, 5:49 behind;
6. Jun, Dae Hong,
Korea, 7:59 behind;
7. Querimit, Arnel,
Phil., 8:44 behind;
8. Susanto, Tonton,
Indonesia, 10:52 behind;
9. Ji, Sung Hwang,
Korea, 11:39 behind;
10. Celeste, Felix,
Pangasinan, 17:36 behind.
Stage Results
1. Ji, Sung Hwang Korea 5:16:53
(time behind)
2. Benito, Satlin NLuzon 5 secs.
3. Wong, Kam Po Hk 2:03 secs.
4. Querimit, Arnel Phil <<
5. Dolosa, Renato SLuzon <<
6. Hoong, Tsen Seong Mal <<
7. Jun, Dae Hong Korea <<
8. Bayuga, Edwin Pangasinan <<
9. Adoptante, Ricar Visayas <<
10. Guieb, Carlo NLuzon <<
11. Bacudo, Jessie NLuzon <<
12. Acosta, Roderick NLuzon <<
13. Velasco, Dennis SLuzon <<
14. Valdez, Placido NEcija <<
15. Barlis, Neil NEcija <<
16. Villasenor, Denn NEcija <<
17. Manaf, Azizan Mal <<
International Team Overall
1st 154:15:31 Philippines
2nd 154:17:44 Korea
3rd 156:53:01 Malaysia
4th 157:20:46 Indonesia
5th 158:12:51 Hongkong
6th 161:54:32 Japan
National Team Overall
1st 155:21:26 Northern Luzon
2nd 155:24:29 Pangasinan
3rd 155:40:32 Southern Luzon
4th 155:42:28 Nueva Ecija
5th 156:10:27 Visayas
6th 156:39:56 Central Luzon