Ramos rules ITT event of PhilCycling National Open

Merculio Ramos dominated the 40-kilometer individual time trial (ITT) event of the PhilCycling National Open for Road on Wednesday in Tagaytay City. Ramos, a veteran internationalist and former national rider, submitted 56 minutes and 59.78 seconds in topping the ITT that started and ended in Balayan, Batangas. He was 35.91 seconds faster than second-placer Lloyd Reynante, who competed in the recent 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. But it was Tomas Martinez who sparkled in the two-day Open organized by PhilCycling president and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino. Martinez, winner of the 150-km Tagaytay-to-Tagaytay massed on Tuesday, had the third best time in the ITT race with 58:08.00 to emerge as the overall winner with an aggregate time of 5:08:27.99. Most of the big guns of Philippine cycling grabbed spots in the Magic 10 of the ITT — former Padyak Pinoy champion Joel Calderon was fourth (58:37.22), Oscar Rindole fifth (58:59.78), Baler Ravina eighth (59:43.42) and former Tour winner Santy Barnachea ninth (59:48.63). Three new names, however, broke the grizzled veterans’ domination, with Nicanor Guanzon slipping in at sixth (59:38.63) and John Mier, the 18-year-old who rode in the Guangzhou Asiad’s track competition, finishing at seventh place (59:41.13). At 10th was another up-and-coming rider, Jemico Brioso (59:59.45). In the 30-km ITT for Junior riders, Rustom Lim (43:10.09), Kenneth Solis (44:38.21) and Richard Auriada (46:29.92) occupied the podium. Martinez’s third-place finish in the ITT saved him from being toppled from the top spot in the general classification. Calderon’s charge on Wednesday pushed him to second place overall with a total time of 5:10:09.99, 1:42.00 behind Martinez. Rounding out the top 10 in the general classification were Ramos (2:19.25 behind), Renato Sambrano (3:09.83), Guanzon (3:14.92), Rindole (4:29.08), Sherwin Diamsay (5:22.94), Reynante (5:26.23), Jason Garillo (5:55.36) and Ravina (6:13.71). – JVP/KY, GMANews.TV