Tour of Luzon: Defending champ Joo pulls away to win Stage 11

Defending champion Dae Yeong Joo celebrates after winning Stage 11 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon in San Juan, La Union.

SAN JUAN, La Union—Defending champion Dae-Yeong Joo won Stage 11 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon on Sunday with a solo breakaway to the finish here.

The Gapyeong Cycling Team leader crossed the line in three hours, 19 minutes and 16 seconds to complete a long-overdue lap victory after numerous attempts in the early portion of this year’s derby on wheels.

He not just ruled the journey from Candon, Ilocos Sur, he ruled it in style as Joo immediately got out of his bike upon reaching the finish in front of the municipal hall and town plaza and bowed before the crowd, unmindful that there were nine riders in the chase group.

READ: Tour of Luzon: Huby wins Stage 10, Shulchenko widens overall lead

Daeyeong Joo raises his bicycle after being triumphant in Stage 11 before an adoring crowd in San Juan, La Union #TourOfLuzon2026 @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/3PmasvysS5

— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) May 10, 2026

Malaysian national team rider Saniy Mohd Safiee placed second by 11 seconds while Team Pangasinan’s Dominic Perez was third, 12 seconds adrift of Joo.

Joo was later fined P1,950 by Tour organizers for “‘harmless’ but technically unsafe celebration.”

Also part of the chase group were fan favorites Ronald Oranza, the Standard Insurance Philippines cyclist who placed fourth, and Mervin Corpuz, who earlier won a special Candon Bypass Road that handed him P35,000 courtesy of City Mayor Eric Singson.

The “race within the race” was a six-lap journey from the Bypass Road to Candon City Arena, a distance of 78 kilometers, more than half of the stage’s total 151.7-kilometer journey.

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Riders then turned left to Manila North Road, commonly known as MacArthur Highway, for the latter portion of the race.

Stage 11 looked more of a “rest day” for the title contenders, namely overall leader Nikita Shulchenko after a brutal ascent to Bessang Pass from Candon the other day.

Shulchenko placed 52nd overall, 3:30 behind, as he spent the whole race in the peloton.