Ronnilan Quita of 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines Team appeared headed for a dramatic Stage 9 victory in the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026, but a costly misdirection in the final 500 meters opened the opportunity for Daniel Ridwan Guld of CCN Factory Racing to launch a late sprint and snatch the win in a thrilling finish.
Quita launched what appeared to be the winning move late in the stage and held a narrow advantage entering the closing stretch. However, the Filipino rider failed to immediately spot the straightforward run to the finish line, opening the road for Guld to surge past in the final meters and secure the stage win with a time of 3 hours, 13 minutes, and 2 seconds.
Daniel Ridwan Guld of CCN Factory Racing claimed first place in Stage 9, while Benidict Pvt. Soriano of Pangasinan Cycling Team finished second and Daniel Jay Fariñas of Pangasinan Cycling Team completed an impressive all-Filipino presence in the chasing podium positions.
Despite missing out on the victory, Quita’s aggressive ride earned him the Most Combative Rider honors after animating the race and pushing the pace throughout the decisive moments of the stage.
In the overall standings, Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycle Team successfully retained the Yellow Jersey and remains the rider to beat heading into the feared
mountain stages. His squad continues to show consistency across all classifications, with Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai of LCW UAE Cycle Team also keeping hold of the Best Young Rider Classification.
The King of the Mountain battle remains under the control of Joo Dae Yeong of Gapyeong Cycling Team, although concerns continue to surround the Korean climber after reports of a lingering stomach ache since Monday. The condition could become a major factor as the peloton approaches the highly anticipated Bessang Pass KOM stage, one of the toughest climbs of the entire tour.
Meanwhile, Ivan Anisimov of LCW UAE Cycle Team maintained his grip on the Sprint Points Classification through another steady performance across the intermediate sprint sections.
Go for Gold Philippines continues to lead the Team General Classification, but momentum inside the local squads appears to be shifting. Emerging Filipino riders from the lower ranks have begun making increasingly aggressive moves in recent stages, signaling a possible turn of events that could favor the home teams as the race enters its decisive mountain chapter.
With Bessang Pass now looming, the battle for the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 crown is far from over, and the rise of the Filipino riders may yet reshape the outcome of the race.
