PAGUDPUD — South Korean Min Kyeong Ho of the Seoul Cycling Team clocked 5:12:13, speeding his way to a solo finish at the MPTC Tour of Luzon Stage 6 from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan to Municipality of Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte on Monday.
Showcasing immense endurance in the longest leg of the 14-stage race that covers 223.7km, Min took the lead in the final 30km and pedaled his way to rule the race which had Wilcon Depot in Tuguegarao as its actual starting point and the Pagudpud Town Hall the end.
"Actually it wasn't my plan (to win this stage) because I'm aiming for tomorrow's time trial but I got the chance so I get it," said Min, who pushed through the sweltering heat as the race started from 8 a.m. and finished around 1 p.m.
"I don't know how many stage races I've won in the past but this is the longest. It's super hot, I almost died," the 29-year-old cyclist added.
Seeing the 9-man lead pack struggle in the climb beginning from the Sta. Praxedes Town Hall to the KM Post 592, which features a scenic look of the Claveria Bay and the Bangui Windmills, Min decided to turn it on.
"I broke away in the last 30km. I saw so many rider struggled in the mountain so I thought maybe I could do a solo from there just try and take it," said Min.
"I will just try to take another stage win tomorrow but I don't know. It's too hot today so let's see tomorrow."
Min ended the 2-stage win streak of Russian Ivan Anisimov of the LCW UAE Cycle who finished second this time, falling 1:17 behind (5:14:29) the Korean in a bunch finish with 15 other cyclist.
Local bet Ronald Oranza of the Standard Insurance Philippines completed the top three finishers with a time identical to Anisimov through the '3-second-protocol'.
Initially leading the 9-man lead pack which 10-minute lead from the peloton evaporated in the final stretch of the race, Mervin Corpuz of the 7ELEVEN Roadbike Philippines wound up 31st or technically no. 3 with a time of 5:14.38.
Meanwhile, Nikita Sulchencko retained the yellow jersey almost halfway through the 14-stage race, finishing 16th overall in Stage 6 or technically second with the same time as his teammate and compatriot Anisimov.
Sulchenko totaled the fastest time of 19:01:14 through five individual stages in the individual general classification, with his Syrian teammate Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai running second with 19:02:03.
Filipino cyclist Emmanuel Dave Montemayor - the Stage 3 winner - runs third with 19:03:27.
In the team general classification, local teams Go for Gold Philippines (77:13:38), Standard Insurance Philippines (+01:01), and 7ELEVEN (+02:48), in that order, occupied the first three spots.
