BAGUIO CITY — Russian Nikita Shulchenko of the LCW UAE Cycle did just enough in the 14th and final stage of the MPTC Tour of Luzon to keep the yellow jersey and complete his conquest of the summer bikefest on Wednesday at Camp John Hay here.
Sulchenko entered the 173.9-kilometer (km) distance race from the Pangasinan Provincial Capitol in Lingayen to the Camp John Hay with a 3:50 gap from second placer Antoine Huby of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines, and that proved to be more than enough to keep the yellow jersey he started wearing after Stage 3.
Huby topped Stage 14 with 4:26:42 — 2:12 ahead of Shulchenko, who placed second in the last stage that featured a 38-km climb to the finish.
Ronnilan Quita also from 7-Eleven filled the last podium slot in Stage 14, running 2:58 behind the leader.
Shulchenko clocked the fastest aggregate of 41:11:10 — 1:34 faster than the runner-up Huby in the individual general classification.
“It’s amazing for me and the team. It’s a new experience,” said Shulchenko, who also ruled the Stage 7 individual time trial in Pagudpud.
“I’m happy with the race, thank you guys, thank you fans. It’s so amazing,” added Shulchenko, who will turn 27 on May 31.
Sulchenko’s teammate Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai completed the individual general classification podium finishers, being 6:45 behind the leader.
The 19-year-old Syrian cyclist also seized the white jersey for the best young cyclist.
Nash Joshua Lim of the MPT Drivehub emerged as the top local bet in the 1,815.80-km race that unfurled with Stage 1 from Calatagan, Batangas, to Tagaytay, being 9:13 behind the leader for fourth place overall.
With Huby and Quita on the lead, 7-Eleven took the Stage 14 team win with 17:59:58 as well as the team general classification with an aggregate of 162:25:49.
LCW UAE Cycle finished second to 7-Eleven in Stage 14, being 1:05 behind and that catapulted the foreign club from fourth after Stage 13 to third overall, trailing 1:05 behind the leader.
LCW bumped Standard Insurance Philippines (9:17) to fourth overall.
MPT Drivehub finished third in Stage 14, 5:25 behind the leader.
Go for Gold Philippines ended up second in the general team classification, 18:27 behind the leader.