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Joey Villar - Philstar.com
May 1, 2025 | 5:36pm
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — In the much-awaited return of the fabled summer cycling spectacle that fittingly had everything including an epic ending, South Korean Joo Dae Young summoned all his will and remaining strength to rule the MPTC Tour of Luzon: Great Revival.
Valiantly doing just enough in the 177.54-kilometer eighth and final stage that started in Lingayen and ended here in Camp John Jay Thursday, the 27-year-old two-time Korean national champion capped his triumph against time, elements, and a worthy local challenge in snaring the crown in the 1,074km, eight-lap race.
The Gapyeong Cycling Team skipper did just enough in the killer Baguio ascent, where he finished 22nd in the lap won by an unheralded Joshua Pascual of Excellent Noodles in four hours, 16 minutes and four seconds, or 5.17 minutes faster than the former.
Joo had to battle a busted rear tire at the foot of the mountains of Benguet, where he saw his 2.10-minute lead vanish in thin air to an eager beaver Filipino, Mervin Corpuz of Metro Pacific Tollways Drivehub, who rode like there’s no tomorrow in seizing the provisional lead in the first 150 km stretch.
But Joo fought back and raced like the wind, while Corpuz had nothing left in the tank in the ascent and faded into the night.
The Korean then fended off a last-gasp attempt by Standard Insurance and former many-time Ronda Pilipinas champion Jan Paul Morales to steal the crown by finishing second in the stage.
When the smoke of battle dissipated, Joo still emerged No. 1 with an aggregate time of 22:21:08, or just six seconds ahead of the battle-scarred 39-year-old Navy man from Calumpang, Marikina, who settled for the second in 22:21:14.
It was one, if not the closest, race in Tour history and for Joo, who was left with just one active teammate in this lap after the rest fell one after another, he just didn’t give up.
“I didn’t think of the yellow jersey, I just keep going,” said an ecstatic Joo, who gamely signed autographs and posed for photos for adoring fans that packed the finish line.
For this feat, Joo pocketed P1million, half of which came straight from the pockets of MVP Group of Companies chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.
Asked about the possibility of returning and defending his title next year, Joo could only shake his head at the thought of climbing Baguio again.
“I don’t want (to return) Baguio one more time,” he said with a smile.
For Morales, who was nursing bruises and hurting ribs he sustained during a Stage 1 crash in Paoay, Ilcoos Norte, it meant he isn’t hanging up his bike just yet.
“I said if I won here, I would retire. I’m just second so I’ll return,” said Morales, who settled for a runner-up purse worth P500,000.
Daredevil Jonel Carcueva of MPTD had a third place finish in Baguio to leap frog from sixth before the final lap to a third place effort overall in 22:22:00 that earned the Cebu native P350,000.
Rounding out the top 10 were Victoria Sports’ Nichol Pareja (22:22:02), Standard’s Jeremy Lizardo (22:23:40), 7-Eleven’s Rench Michael Bondoc (22:24:15), Go for Gold’s James Paul Ryan Escumbien (22:24:42) and Jay Jericho Lucero (22:24:50), Standard’s Ronald Oranza (22:24:52) and MPTD’s Rustom Lim (22:25:05).
While Joo basked in triumph, Corpuz could only grimace in disappointment as he came close to accomplishing what his uncle, Santy Barnachea, achieved in the past — win a Tour crown — as he wound up 21st overall after occupying second after Stage 7.
It just wasn't meant to be.
But if there’s any consolation, Corpuz would get an equal share of from MPTD, which sideswiped Standard Insurance from the top to snatch the team crown and the P1 million purse that went with it.
MPTD clocked 88:22:02 as against Standard’s 88:22:13.
