Oranza’s second title victory in the offing?
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
I TRAVELED to Tarlac City last Wednesday (March 16) with a friend purposely to talk with some of our Pangasinan cyclists participating in the ten-day 2022 Ronda Pilipinas bikefest. I wanted to know how they’re doing after six days of intense pedal-pushing anent. Yes, first and foremost with the Pangasinan (Villasis)-son Ronald Oranza of Philippine Navy/Standard Insurance (PNSI) team who won of the sixth stage from Lucena City to Tagaytay City that gave him the honor to wear the red jersey, symbolic of overall leadership. Of course, also with El Joshua Cariño, Oranza’s able lieutenant, my town mate (Mangaldan) and my son Jazy’s protege the 2018 Le Tour de Filipinas titlist, who finished second twice consecutively (5th and 6th stages) behind Excellent Noodles Joshua Mari Bonifacio and his skipper Oranza, respectively. The strong 1-2 finish of Oranza and Cariño paved the duo’s PNSI squad to grab the team leadership from Excellent Noodles, the four-day leader.
When I interviewed the duo in their room despite their fatigue and exhaustion over the last six days, the two former titleholders and prides of Pangasinan are both confident of a big win with Oranza sans accidents wresting the coveted diadem, his second after 2018. However, Cariño is now in the 12th position overall after the sixth stage, a dozen minutes off the pace and but still in contention to land in the top five overall. His younger brother Daniel Ven Cariño slipped to 9th place overall from fourth because of strokes of bad luck, i.e., flat tire and a spill.
On the other hand, when I asked both Excellent Noodles proprietor Alex Billan and his team skipper the aging Barnachea (46 years of age) regarding their boys’ chances, they, too, are confident that their assistant team captain two-time Ronda winner Jan Paul Morales (2016-2017) can still recapture the individual leadership with just 42 seconds adrift Oranza as well as the team leadership.
“Conditioning is the most vital for the two riders (Oranza and Morales) who are closest to winning in the three crucial stages, the 7th, 8th and 9th because it involves big mountains to cross especially the penultimate ninth stage from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya to Baguio City via Ambuklao,” Billan told this writer. “The chances of our team Excellent Noodles in winning the individual and team honors are 50-50 after this sixth stage,” Billan humbly added and Barnachea agreed.
For your info, the cycling buff Billan already sponsored 37 cycling races out of the 241 under my organization and directorship here in Pangasinan that I started in 1974.
As I’m writing this piece on Thursday (March 17), reports reached me that the 180 kilometers 7th stage just ended with one of Excellent Noodles standout Ryan Tugawin winning the 180 kilometers stretch from Tarlac City to Baler, Aurora. Mangaldan pride Joshua Cariño scored his third-in-a-row second place stage finish after Ryan Tugawin, a Philippine record in multi-stage racing. He jumped to 6th from 12th position in the overall standing. His brother Daniel occupies 10th place from 9th overall. Oranza protected his precarious 42 seconds lead over arch-rival Morales by arriving together in the second pack registering identical time. There are three Pangasinenses occupying the top ten positions with Oranza in the number one spot. Melvin Corpuz of Umingan fell to 16th place from 4th due to a bad fall.
And now the big question is, can Oranza protect his uncertain 42 ticks lead up to the grand finish in Baguio City on March 20? Yes, your guess is also like mine.
By the time you read this piece the race is already over. Remember always that our boys’ victories are also ours.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; REVELATION 22: 18
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