The peloton rolled like a fireball under the scorching summer heat as Russian Ivan ANISIMOV of LCW UAE Cycle made his rivals eat dust, winning Stage 5 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 and clinching his second consecutive stage victory with a time of 2:47:26.
The race ignited early as Jericho Jay Lucero of Go For Gold Philippines launched the first decisive attack, opening a 1:07 gap ahead of the peloton. He was joined in the break by Roseidi Noor and Ariff Danial of the National Team Malaysia, alongside Jexxel Ehd Azur and Ronald Oranza of Standard Insurance Philippines, as well as current yellow jersey holder Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycle. The aggressive move set the tone for a relentless and tactical
stage.
The riders engaged in a fierce “pasiklaban” during the first intermediate sprint. Rustom Lim of MPT Drivehub Pro Cycling Team, Akmal Hakim Zakaria of National Team Malaysia, Jomar Camingao of Excellent Noodles Cycling Team, and Charles Olsen Ferrer of CCN Factory Racing battled intensely for early sprint honors.
The second sprint saw El Joshua Carino of Pangasinan Cycling Team surge ahead, followed closely by Joshua Gatmaitan of Go For Gold Philippines and Anisimov, who continued to assert his dominance.
In the third sprint classification, Mark Julius Bordeos of Pangasinan Cycling Team, Julius Tudtud of Dreyna Orion Cement Pro Cycling Team, and Carl Erron Borela of CCN Factory Racing rounded out the top finishers.
As the race approached the final 10 kilometers entering Tuguegarao, the pace remained unforgiving despite the brutal conditions. The stage concluded earlier than expected, a testament to both the speed and resilience of the riders.
Ranking After Stage 5
Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycle retains the yellow jersey as overall leader, while teammate Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai continues to dominate the best young rider category. Emmanuel Dave Montemayor of Go For Gold Philippines remains in strong contention.
CARIÑO claimed the red jersey for most combative rider, marking a proud moment for Pangasinan. Meanwhile, ANISIMOV’s back-to-back triumph secured him the violet jersey, further solidifying LCW’s grip on the race.
LCW UAE Cycle is asserting control over the sprint classifications, occupying three key positions with Anisimov leading, Alrefai in second, and Shulchenko in fifth. However, Lee Jung Hoon of Seoul Cycling Team and Montemayor are mounting serious challenges for the green jersey.
Alrefai continues his consistent defense of the white jersey for best young rider, while the King of the Mountains battle remains razor-thin. Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong Cycling Team and Ronnilan QUITA of 7-Eleven are locked in a tight duel, separated by just one point.
In the team general classification, Filipino squads continue to hold firm. Go For Gold Philippines maintains the top spot after four stages, followed by 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines and Standard Insurance Philippines.
The awarding ceremony was attended by Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Rosario Ting-Que, Cagayan Governor Edgar Aglipay, and city councilors Anthony Tuddao, Mark Angelo Dayag, Tirso Mangada, and Restituto Ramirez.
At this stage of the race, LCW UAE Cycle is dominating three jersey classifications while steadily climbing in the team standings from fifth position. The momentum currently favors the foreign riders, but Filipino teams remain firmly in contention, with Go For Gold still leading the overall team rankings.
With a grueling 200-kilometer stage ahead from Tuguegarao to Pagudpud, the narrative of the race hangs in the balance. Will LCW UAE Cycle continue its commanding run, or is a dramatic shift about to unfold in the battle for Luzon’s most prestigious cycling crown?
