Tour of Luzon: Nikita Shulchenko seals overall title in Baguio

Nikita Shukchenco at the finish line during Stage 14 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon. –CONTRIBUTED PHoTO

BAGUIO—Nikita Shulchenko captured the MPTC Tour of Luzon title after holding off the last-ditch effort of Stage 14 winner Antoine Huby on Wednesday here.

Huby, the French rider of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines, claimed victory in the final stage of the derby on wheels that ended at Camp John Hay, crossing the finish line in four hours, 26 minutes and 42 seconds.

But Shulchenko would complete the lap by a gap of two minutes and 12 seconds, enough to secure the overall crown of the summer cycling spectacle and the top purse of P1 million.

Antoine Huby is the Stage 14 winner, but not enough to beat Nikita Shulchenko, who is the 2026 MPTC Tour of Luzon champion #TourOfLuzon2026 | @jonasterradoINQ pic.twitter.com/1H6fHDJepr

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 13, 2026

The Russian rider of Filipino-owned LCW UAE Cycle finished the 14-stage bikathon with an aggregate time of 41 hours, 11 minutes and 10 seconds, with Huby settling for second by 1:34.

It was a masterclass for the 26-year-old, who had worn the symbolic yellow jersey since Stage 3.

But victories in the punishing Stage 10 at Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur and a much-shorter climb towards Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem, Pangasinan allowed Huby to reduce Shulchenko’s lead to 2:30.

Shulchenko, however, padded his lead to 3:50 after going second in the Stage 13 ITT in Lingayen, Pangasinan and Huby placing 13th entering the deciding lap ascent to this city via the famed Kennon Road.

A triumphant Nikita Shulchenko lifts his bike after winning the 2026 MPTC Tour of Luzon crown #TourOfLuzon2026 | @jonasterradoINQ pic.twitter.com/HIw9Y9fxKP

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 13, 2026

The two spent most of the race as part of the peloton before catching up on a five-man lead pack that included last year’s champion Dae Yeong Joo of South Korea’s Gapyeong Cycling Team.

MPT DriveHub’s Rustom Lim tried a solo breakaway before a chase group that included Shulchenko and Huby easily caught up.

It was then that Huby would break away from Shulchenko past the landmark Lion’s Head to eventually take the stage win, but not enough time to dislodge the Russian for the title.

LCW’s 19-year-old Ibrahiem Alrefai placed third overall in the general classification by 6:45 while MPT’s Nash Lim took fourth, 9:13 back, to finish as the best Filipino rider in the standings, with Quita completing the top five, 10:34 adrift.

Meanwhile, Huby, Quita, fan favorite Mervin Corpuz and the rest of 7-Eleven took the team general classification with a total of 162:25:49, 18 minutes ahead of Go for Gold Philippines, which had led during the first half of the race.

7-Eleven, which leapfrogged Go for Gold in the standings after Stage 10, took home P2 million.