Photo caption: Gerald Valdez (left) and Jonel Carcueva (right) raise their hands for winning the first stage of the Cross Cebu 600. | Photo credit to Jbm Clickers.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu’s very own Jonel Carcueva of Team Go For Gold topped the pro division’s first stage of the Cross Cebu 600 on Friday, November 11, 2021, in Bogo City, north Cebu.
The 27-year-old Carcueva, a 2019 Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist in the team classification road race, crossed the finish line of the first stage at 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 41 seconds.
The first stage covered a grueling 183-kilometer distance that traversed the northern part of Cebu starting from Mandaue City.
Trailing Carcueva was fellow Cebuano Jhunvie Pagnanawon.
The 29-year-old Pagnanawon crossed the finish line at 4:25.43, which is 02.01 seconds behind Carcueva, while the latter’s sibling, Junreck, rounded off the top three with 4:26.09.
Among the 36 starters, only 26 have finished the race in the pro category.
The fourth to 10th placers were Ramonito Espinosa (4:26.13), Elmer Navarro (4:26.14), Joland Olmilla (4:31.59), Jose Fernando Lutrania (4:33.41.08), Jerry Aquino (4:33.41.19), Jeffery Garay (4:33.41.79), and Ronniel Quita (4:33.41.91), respectively.
Despite finishing at fifth place, Navarro, 30, of Barangay Mambaling Cebu City, displayed his dominance in the uphill portion of the race.
Navarro snatched the “King of the Mountain” award while Pagnanawon settled for second and Espinosa at third.
Jonel Carcueva claimed the second spot behind Junreck in the best sprinter award, while Espinosa grabbed the third spot.
Meanwhile, Gerald Valdez ruled the elite division first stage with the time of 4:34.50, which also covered 183k distance.
Zack Reyes and Kylle Taboada clocked in at 4:31.51.06 but later decided to put them at second and third places respectively by the technical organizers of the race.
Fourth to 10th placers in the elite category are R-jun Radana (4:34.51.82), Ramon Dela Cruz (4:37:34.12), Rushell Ipis (4:37:34.66), Francis Hernando (4:48:37.56), Gems Averia (4:48:38.17), John Israel Go (4:49:05.20), and Carl James Abajo (4:54:19.22) respectively.
Dela Cruz ruled both the KOM and the best sprinter awards.
Stage two is tomorrow, Saturday, November 13, for both the pro and elite divisions.
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