French rider Antoine Huby of 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines Team delivered a commanding performance in the highly anticipated Stage 10 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026, conquering the brutal Bessang Pass climb with a dominant solo victory in a time of 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 1 second.
Huby launched a decisive attack in the closing kilometers of the mountain stage and quickly separated himself from the rest of the contenders. Yellow Jersey holder Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycle Team fought hard to limit the damage, but the Russian rider was ultimately dropped in the final two kilometers as Huby powered alone toward the summit finish.
Ronnilan Quita of 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines Team sustained his strong climbing form and secured a podium finish in third place, giving the Filipino squad a massive result in the tour’s most anticipated King of the Mountain stage. The result created major movement across the overall classifications. Despite losing
time to Huby, Shulchenko managed to hold tightly onto the Individual General Classification Yellow Jersey and remains the overall race leader heading into the final decisive stages.
A major upset unfolded in the King of the Mountain standings as Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong Cycling Team struggled through the demanding climb after reportedly suffering from a lingering stomach ache since earlier in the week. With the Korean climber unable to defend his advantage, Quita successfully captured the Individual Mountain Classification jersey for the Philippines.
Ivan Anisimov of LCW UAE Cycle Team retained control of the Individual Points Classification through another consistent sprint performance, while Huby added further recognition to his breakthrough ride by also earning the Most Combative Rider honors for Stage 10.
Meanwhile, Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai of LCW UAE Cycle Team continued to hold the Best Young Rider Classification White Jersey as the young contender maintained his steady presence among the race leaders.
The mountain showdown also reshaped the Team General Classification. Powered by Huby and Quita’s exceptional climbing performances, 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines Team surged to the top of the overall team standings, overtaking Go for Gold Philippines for the number one position. LCW UAE Cycle Team also climbed into the rankings, replacing Standard Insurance in the upper team classifications.
One of the emotional moments of the stage came from Marvin Mandac of Go for Gold Philippines, who pushed himself to exhaustion and reportedly lost consciousness shortly after crossing the finish line. In recognition of his determination and fighting spirit, a special award was presented to Mandac by Honorable Mayor Eric Singson of Candon City.
With the dramatic changes in the overall standings, Stage 10 once again proved that the mountains ultimately dictate the race. And much like last year, all signs now point toward Baguio as the likely deciding battleground for the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 crown.
