South Korean Joo Dae Yeong wins the relatively flat 151.7-km Stage 11 of MPTC Tour of Luzon

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JOO DAE YEONG of Gapyeong Cycling Team — PHILIPPINE STAR/RUSSELL A. PALMA

JOO DAE YEONG of Gapyeong Cycling Team — PHILIPPINE STAR/RUSSELL A. PALMA

SAN JUAN, La Union — People can easily forget why Joo Dae Yeong won last year’s MPTC Tour of Luzon.

The 29-year-old South Korean gave everyone a reminder, even if it’s just a glimpse, of his magnificence as he ruled Sunday’s Stage 11 that started in Candon City in Ilocos Sur and ended in the town hall in San Juan.

Mr. Joo clocked three hours, 19 minutes and 16 seconds in topping the relatively flat 151.7-kilometer (km) lap, 11 seconds ahead of Malaysian national team’s Saniy Syahmi Mohd Safiee.

Pangasinan’s Dominic Perez edged Standard Insurance’s Ronald Oranza, Go for Gold’s Aidan James Mendoza, 7-Eleven’s Mervin Corpuz and Excellent Noodles’ Joseph Javiniar to claim third place in the lap, 12 seconds off the pace.

But none shone brighter than Mr. Joo on this one.

And he made sure everybody remembers.

Upon reaching the line, he pointed a finger to the adoring, wood-thumping crowd, took off from his bike and dropped a curtsy before giving high five to every fan he saw.

He ended up being fined by race officials for his “harmless but technically unsafe celebration.”

But for him, it was his way of showing appreciation to the crowd who cheered for him through thick or thin.

“It was for the fans,” said Mr. Joo.

While he conceded he’s already out of the overall individual race, Mr. Joo said he’s content he had already achieved his two goals for this year’s edition — wearing the king of the mountain (KOM) jersey, which he accomplished once, and winning a stage.

“I’m done, my leg is done,” said Mr. Joo. “Last year I was very lucky. This year, I only want the KOM jersey and become a stage winner.”

“I’m still happy,” he added.

The general classification leaders played it safe on this one with Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE remaining untouchable on top with an aggregate clocking of 32:57:30, 3:41 and 3:54 minutes ahead of teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai and 7-Eleven’s Antoine Huby, respectively.

Mr. Shulchenko will continue to wear the yellow jersey in Monday’s 146.4-km Stage 12 that unfurls in Agoo in La Union and ends at the view deck of Daang Kalikasan — a 7.40-km Category 2 climb — in Mangatarem, Pangasinan.

There were some minor changes though in the top 10 consisting of Malaysian Muhammad Syawal Mazlin (33:02:51), Mr. Corpuz (33:03:17), 7-Eleven’s Ronnilan Quita (33:03:25), MPTD’s Nash Lim (33:04:22) and Rustom Lim (33:06:55), Go for Gold’s Rench Michael Bondoc (32:07:36) and Seoul’s Jung Woo Ho (32:07:41).

In the team race, 7-Eleven stayed at No. 1 with a time of 131:05:38, 2:20 minutes over Go for Gold and 13:12 over Standard Insurance.

Meanwhile, Mr. Corpuz took the P35,000 purse from Candon City Mayor Eric Singson for finishing first after the stage’s 78-km stretch that circled six times in the city’s bypass road. — Joey Villar